
Glass __ 



Book 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



THE 

APOCRYPHAL BOOKS 

OF THE 

NEW TESTAMENT 



/ / 



-urf 



<b 




A MAICNAN, P 



URE.CEBBIE &HUSSON CO L ,c 



CHRIST CONSOLING THE AFFLICTED. 
./// Cares to I"' Cast on God, 



THE 



APOCRYPHAL BOOKS 

OF THE 

NEW TESTAMENT 

BEING ALL THE GOSPELS, EPISTLES, AND OTHER PIECES NOW EXTANT 
ATTRIBUTED IN THE FIRST FOUR CENTURIES 

TO 

JESUS CHRIST 

HIS APOSTLES AND THEIR COMPANIONS 

not included, by its compilers, in the authorized new 

testament; and, the recently discovered syriac 

mss. of pilate's letters to tiberius, etc. 



' 



TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL T0NGU1 






ILLUSTRATED FROM ANCIENT PAINTINGS AND MISSALS 



"Christ was the joyous boy of the fields. We are not permitted to think that 
the shadows of Calvary darkened His pathtvay as a youth, and the Apocryphal 
Books of the Neiv Testament show a great deal of the early life of Christ not to 
be found in the four Evangelists" 

— Dr. Talmage 



PHILADELPHIA 

GEBBIE & CO., Publishers 



Sold only by Subscription 



c ] ^ 






Copyrighted, 1890, Gebbie & Co. 



PUBLISHERS' PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION 



In ten years our ''Apocryphal Books of the New Testament" has 
run through three large editions, and we were in full belief that the work 
could not be made more complete ; but there has just been published 
in Germany, under the editorship of the learned Dr. Teschendorf, a 
most important fragment recently discovered in Syria, from which we 
have had translated the following important historical letters bearing 
on the death of Christ : 

1. Letter of Herod to Pilate, the Governor . ... See page 2G9 

2. Letter of Pilate to Herod " 270 

3. Epistle of Pontius Pilate to Tiberius Caesar . . . 272 

4. The Report of Pilate, the Governor, concerning our 

Lord Christ which was sent to Augustus Caesar in 

Rome 273 

5. The Report of Pontius Pilate, whicli was sent to the 

Emperor Tiberius in Rome 275 

6. The Trial and Condemnation of Pilate " 277 

7. The Death of Pontius Pilate who condemned Jesus 279 

We are glad to note a decidedly increasing interest in regard to the 
Apocryphal Books as evidenced by increased sales. 

Man, conscious of his weakness, looks around for guidance. Catholics 
offer him an infallible Church. Protestants, an infallible Bible. We 
believe that infallibility belongs only to God ; and although inspiration 
may not be certain for these Apocryphal Books, yet for more than 
three centuries they were accepted by the early Christians as inspired, 
and therefore should be regarded with interest. 

The theory of Inspiration has been altered more than once since 
these books were rejected as uninspired. It was once altered when 
men began to appeal to the Greek and the Hebrew against the 
Latin Vulgate. It was altered again when they appealed to lexicons 
and grammars and the usage of contemporary writers against 
authoritative interpretation. It was altered again when the science of 
textual criticism shattered the exclusive claims of the received text. 
And every alteration, though a shock to the faith of some, and a trial 
to all, led to closer study, clearer insight, and a more reverential 
acceptance of the sacred volume, and all connected therewith. 

1 



publishers' preface. 

Clergymen, though they buy the book, do not generally give us 
letters of commendation for publishing it, but the REV. T. De- 
WITT TALMAGE, of Brooklyn, one of the most eminent divines 
of the nineteenth century, in. December, 1889, says of one of the 
Apocryphal Gospels : 

"The Marvellous Boyhood of Christ." 

"For nineteen centuries there has been singular silence on this sub- 
ject. ' What kind of a boy was He ? ' We have whole libraries of 
books and whole galleries of statuary and painting telling us about His 
nativity, but silence reigns regarding His boyhood. 

"There are various separate sources," said the preacher, "from 
which we may gather knowledge of the boyhood of Christ. What He 
was as a man, we know ; and by minimizing the picture of the man, we 
can get the picture of the boy. In His manhood Christ was a blonde. 
We can easily picture Him to ourselves as the yellow-haired, wise, 
thoughtful lad described in the text (Luke). 

"Then there is the Apocryphal Gospel, a book which has been kept 
out of the sacred canon because it is not credited with inspiration. 
This book gives us many particulars regarding the boyhood of Christ. 
But because it is an uninspired book its statements are not accepted. 

"Surely this is unfair. Prescott's ' Mexico ' is not an inspired book ; 
nor is it free from errors. Macaulay's ' History of England ' is not an 
inspired book ; and it is not in every instance absolutely correct. But 
is there nothing true in them ? nothing to be learned from these great 
works? Are we to reject Prescott and Macaulay in toto because their 
works are not the fruit of inspiration ? Surely not. The Apocryphal 
Gospel tells us that Christ worked miracles when a boy. Is there 
anything impossible in the supposition that He did? If He was 
divine as a man, He was divine as a boy. The Apocryphal Gospel 
tells us that on one occasion when walking with His mother He met 
two thieves. Naming them, He said to His mother : 'Those men are 
to die with Me on the cross — the one on My right, the other on My 
left.' Why should not the boy Christ be able to prophesy? 

" Christ was a joyous boy of the fields. We are not permitted to 
think that the shadows of Calvary darkened His pathway as a youth, 
and the Apocryphal Books of the New Testament show a great deal of 
the early life of Christ not to be found in the four Evangelists." 

Importance of the Apocryphal Gospels. 

Justin, Ireneus, Clement of Alexandria, and other early Christian 

authors, mention many circumstances which must have been derived 

from the Apocryphal Gospels. Baronius quotes Nicephorus as saying 

that Hippolytus is one who mentions such circumstances as are to be 



seen only in the Apocryphal Books. Origen, also, has allusions which 
could only be obtained from these Books. Gregory of Nyssa and 
Epiphanius, and the writer of a discourse ascribed to Eusebius, make 
use of statements contained in the Apocryphal Gospels. We also 
know that a careful examination of the Fathers shows many other pas- 
sages corresponding in a remarkable manner with what we read in the 
Apocryphal Gospels. Thus Athanasius, in his treatise on the "In- 
carnation of the Word," refers to the downfall of idols in Egypt, when 
Christ went thither : "Who, among righteous men or kings, went 
down into Egypt, and at his coming the idols of Egypt fell ? ' ' etc. 
In his fourth oration against the Arians, also, he mentions the fear 
of the keepers of Hades when Christ descended to the Underworld. 
Elsewhere he mentions that Christ arose from the dead at midnight. 
He may not really have read any of the extant rejected Gospels, but 
he evidently knew some of the traditions contained in them. It is 
when we come to later writers that we find the Apocryphal traditions 
set forth as verities. John of Damascus, Nicephorus, and a host of 
others might be mentioned in this connection. Hence it has come to 
pass that, short of a place among the Books of the New Testament, 
many Apocryphal writings have been elevated to the highest possible 
dignity. It is well known that the Legenda Aurea drew largely from 
several of the Apocryphal Gospels. The histories of Joachim, Anna, 
Joseph, and Mary, as contained in the service books of the Catholic 
Church, are in the Christian Apocrypha. Such facts show the impor- 
tance of these documents, and the desirableness of an acquaintance with 
them. Books of this kind cannot become truly obsolete so long as 
they lie at the basis of the faith and practice of millions. 

In the middle ages and onward the Apocryphal Books were very 
popular ; were read with avidity ; were reproduced in poetry, and were 
literally translated into a variety of languages. In one form or another 
we encounter them in Egypt, Syria Persia and India, in Greece and 
Italy, in Germany, Spain and France, in Britain, and as far north as 
Iceland. 

Dr. Tischendorf, writing of "The Origin and Use of the Apocryphal 
Gospels," among other things, shows the use made of them in sup- 
porting various doctrines and opinions concerning Christ, Mary, 
Joseph, the parents of Mary, the descent of Christ into the Under- 
world, and so forth. He next proceeds to indicate the many evidences 
of their general and special influence in the Church, which condemned 
and yet adopted them. He then mentions the well known fact that 
Mohammed and other Arabic writers drew largely from the Christian 
Apocrypha. After this he resumes his illustrations from Church 
writers, who have accepted as facts what they have taken from the 
Apocryphal Gospels. 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



»•« 



Christ Consoling the Afflicted . . . (Photogravure) Frontispiece 

PAGE 

Members of the Council of Nice Presenting their Decision to the 

Emperor Constantine : Fourth Century v 

The Emperor Constantine Presenting the Labors of the Council of Nice 

to Christ for his blessing . . 10 

The Birth of the Virgin . . 17 

Elizabeth receiving the Visit of Mary . 25 

The Birth of Christ 33 

The Adoration of the Magi . . 41 

The Birth of John the Baptist 49 

The Presentation in the Temple . . . ." . . .57 

Mary Offering in the Temple 65 

The Birth of Christ 73 

The Murder of the Innocents 73 

St. John the Baptist 81 

The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan 89 

The Last Judgment . . . 97 

Hell 105 

Christ's Entry into Jerusalem, and Christ before Pilate . . . 113 
The two spies sent by Joshua to Jericho, and their escape from the 

house from Rahab 121 

Christ in the Prsetorium and mocked, and his Descent into Hell . . 129 
The Red Sea swallowing up the army of Pharaoh, after the Israelites 

had passed through . . 137 

Christ Praying in the Garden 145 

Peter cutting off the ear of Malchus, and the kiss of Judas . . . 145 

Christ bearing his Cross to Golgotha, followed by holy women . . 153 

Veronica afflicted with an issue of blood 161 

Christ on the Cross between the two Malefactors 177 

Marriage of Cana in Galilee 193 

The Burial of Christ 193 

Mary supporting the dead Christ on her knees 209 

The Interment of Christ ; . 217 

The Resurrection of Christ * 225 

Christ as a Gardener appearing to Mary Magdalene .... 233 

Jesus Christ ascending to Heaven with two angels .... 241 

Jonah cast into the sea, and his coming out of the whale . . . 257 



AFTER the writings contained in the New Testament 
were selected from the numerous Gospels and 
Epistles then in existence, what became of the 
Books tliat were rejected hy the compilers? 

This question naturally occurs on every investigation as 
to the period when, and the persons by whom, the New 
Testament was formed. It has been supposed by many that 
the volume was compiled by the first council of Nice, which, 
according to Jortin,* originated thus : 

Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, and Arius, who was a 
presbyter in his diocese, disputed together about the nature 
of Christ ; and the bishop being displeased at the notions of 
Arius, and finding that they were adopted by other persons, 
"was very angry." He commanded Arius to come over to 
his sentiments, and to quit his own : as if a man could change 
his opinions as easily as he can change his coat ! He then 
called a council of war, consisting of nearly a hundred 
bishops, and deposed, excommunicated, and anathematized 
Arius, and with him several ecclesiastics, two of whom 
were bishops. Alexander then wrote a circular-letter to 

*Bem. on Eccl. vol. ii., p. 177. 



IV 

all bishops, in which he represents Arius and his partisans 
as heretics, apostates, blasphemous enemies of God, full of 
impudence and impiety, forerunners of Antichrist, imitators 
of Judas, and men whom it was not lawful to salute, or to bid 
God-speed. There is no reason to doubt of the probity and 
sincerity of those who opposed Alexander and the Nicene 
Fathers; for what did they get by it besides obloquy and 
banishment ? Many good men were engaged on both sides 
of the controversy. So it was in the fourth century, and 
so it hath been ever since. Eusebius of Nicomedia, and 
Eusebius the historian, endeavoured to pacify Alexander, 
and to persuade him to make up the quarrel ; and Con- 
stantine sent a letter by the illustrious Hosius of Corduba 
to Alexander and Arius, in which he reprimanded them 
both for disturbing the church with their insignificant dis- 
putes. But the affair was gone too far to be thus composed, 
and Socrates represents both sides as equally contentious 
and refractory. To settle this and other points, the Nicene 
council was summoned, consisting of about three hundred 
and eighteen bishops, — a mystical number* of which many 
profound remarks have been made. The first thing they 
did was to quarrel, and to express their resentments, and 
to present accusations to the emperor against one another. 
So say Socrates, Sozomen, and Eufinus. Theodoret favours 
his brethren in this affair, and seems to throw the fault 
upon the laity. But the whole story, as it is related by 
them all, and even by Theodoret, shows that the bishops 
accused one another. The emperor burnt all their libels, 

* Barnabas, viii. 11, 12, 13. 






V 

and exhorted them to peace and unity; so that if they 
had not been restrained by his authority, and by fear 
and respect, they would probably have spent their time in 
altercations. 

This council of Nice is one of the most famous and 
interesting events presented to us in ecclesiastical history ; 
and yet, what is surprising, scarcely any part of the History 
of the Church has been unfolded with such negligence, or 
rather passed over with such rapidity. The ancient writers 
are neither agreed w T ith respect to the time or place in which 
it was assembled, the number of those who sat in council, 
nor the bishop who presided in it. No authentic acts of 
its famous sentence have been committed to writing, or at 
least none have been transmitted to our time.* 

Although it is uncertain whether the books of the New 
Testament were declared canonical by the Nicene Council, 
or by some other, or when or by whom they were collected 
into a volume, it is certainf that they were considered genu- 
ine and authentic (with a few variations of opinion as to 
some of them) by the most early Christian writers; and 
that they were selected from various other Gospels and 
Epistles, the titles of which are mentioned in the works 
of the Fathers and early historians of the church.J The 
books that exist, of those not included in the canon, are 
carefully brought together in the present volume. They 
naturally assume the title of the Apocryphal New Testament; 
and he who possesses this and the New Testament, has in 
the two volumes, a collection of all the historical records 

* Mosheim, Eccl. Hist., c. v. $ 12. 

f See Table II. at the end of this work. X See Table I. at end. 



VI 

relative to Christ and his Apostles, now in existence, and 
considered Bacred by Christians during the first four cen- 
turies after his birth. 

In a complete collection of the Apocryphal writings the 
Apostles' Creed is necessarily included, and as necessarily 
given, as it stood in the fourth and until the sixth century, 
(from Mr. Justice Bailey's edition of the Common Prayer 
Book), without the article of Christ's Descent into Hell; 
— an interpolation concerning which the author of the 
Preface to the Catalogue of the MSS. of the King's Library 
thus expresses himself: "I wish that the insertion of the 
article of Christ's Descent into Hell into the Apostles' Creed 
could be as well accounted for as the insertion of the said 
verse (1 John v. 7*). 



* Catalogue of MSS. of the king's library, by David Casly, 4to, in Pref. 
p. xxiv. For large particulars of Christ's Descent into Hell, see the Gospel 
of Nicodemus, chap. xiii. to xx. 

The verse above alluded to by Mr. Casly is 1 John, v. 7. This spurious 
passage, in the authorized version* of the New Testament, printed by the 
Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and the King's Printers, and 
appointed to be read in churches, stands thus : ''For there are three that bear 
record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; and these three are 
one." This verse, Mr. Casly says, is now generally given up ; being in no 
Greek MS. save one at Berlin, which is discovered to have been transcribed 
from the printed Biblia Complutensia; and another modern one at Dublin, 
probably translated or corrected from the Latin Vulgate. It is conjectured 
that it may have been inserted by the mistake of a Latin copyist: for the 
owners of MSS. often wrote glosses or paraphrases of particular passages 
between the lines, and ignorant transcribers sometimes mistook these notes 
for interlined omissions by the original scribes, and accordingly in re-copy- 
ing the MSS. incorporated these glosses or paraphrases into the body of the 
text. For instance, Jerome, in one of his letters, says that an explanatory 
note which he himself had made in the margin of his Psalter had been 
incorporated by some transcriber into the text ; and Dr. Bentley, in the 96th 
page of his Epistle, annexed to Malala's Chronicle, has proved 2tva opoc 
ecriv ev TTj Apafiiq, in Galatians iv. 25, to be of the same stamp.f 

t Cat. King's Libr. Pref. p. xxi. 



Vll 



•• The best that can be said for it is, that it might possibly 
have come in, in like manner, not long before, from a gloss 



It is scarcely necessary to tell the reader, that in 1516 and 1519 Erasmus 
published his first and second editions of the Greek Testament, both of 
which omitted the three heavenly witnesses. That having promised to insert 
them in his text, if they were found iu a single Greek MS. ; he was soon 
informed of the existence of such a MS. in England, and consequently 
inserted 1 John, v. 7, in his third edition, 1522. That this MS., after a 
profound sleep of two centuries, has at last been found in the library of 
Trinity College, Dublin. That the Complutensian edition, which was not 
published till 1522, though it professes to be printed in 1514, has the 
seventh and eighth verses patched up from the modern Latin MS., and the 
final clause of the eighth verse, which is omitted in its proper place, trans- 
ferred to the end of the seventh. That Colinaeus, in 1534, omitted the verse on 
the faith of MS. That R. Stephens, in his famous edition of 1550, inserted 
the verse, and marked the words ev run ovpavcot as wanting in seven MSS. 
That Beza, suspecting no mistake, concluded that these seven MSS. contained 
the rest of the seventh verse, and the eighth with the words ev rrji yqt* 

Sir Isaac Xewton wrote a Dissertation upon this passage, wherein he gave 
a clear, exact, and comprehensive view of the whole question, and wherein 
he says, that when the adversaries of Erasmus had got the date.f 

The text is not contained in any Greek manuscript which was written 
earlier than the fifteenth century. 2. Nor in any Latin manuscript earlier 
than the ninth century. 3. It is not found in any of the ancient versions. 
4. It is not cited by any of the Greek ecclesiastical writers, though, to 
prove the doctrine of the Trinity, they have cited the words both before and 
after this. 5. It is not cited by any of the early Latin Fathers, even when 
the subjects upon which they treat would naturally have led them to appeal 
to its authority. 6. It is first cited by Vigilius Tapsensis, a Latin writer 
of no credit, in the latter end of the fifth century, and by him it is suspected 
to have been forged. 7. It has been admitted as spurious in many editions 
of the New Testament since the reformation : — in the first two of Erasmus, 
in those of Aldus Colinaeus, Zwinglius, and lately of Griesbach. 8. It was 
omitted by Luther in his German version ; in the old English Bibles of 
Henry VI 1 1., Edward VI., and Elizabeth, it was printed in small types, or 
included in brackets ; but between the years 1566 and 1580, it began to be 
printed as it now stands, by whose authority is not known. — (See Travis's 
Letters to Gibbon, and Porson's to Travis. Also Griesbach's excellent 



* Porson's Letters to Travis. Preface. 

f Newton's works by Horsley, 4to, vol. v. p. 549 —Bishop Horsley, in his edition of 
Sir Isaac Newton's works, has not included several MSS. on theological subjects for 
the reasons which perhaps induce the nobleman in whose possession they remain to 
withhold them still from publication. His lordship's judgment in this respect is said 
to be influenced by a prelate whose notions do not accord either with Sir Isaac's 
opinions or criticisms. They are fairly transcribed, in the illustrious author's own 
hand-writing, ready for the press ; and it is to be regretted that the production of his 
luminous mind be suppressed by any censorship, however respectable. 



Yin 



or paraphrase, that was at first put in the margin or between 
the lines." 



Dissertation on the Text at the end of his second volume. Archbishop 
Newcome omits the text, and the Bishop of Lincoln expresses his conviction 
that it is spurious. (Elem. of Theol. vol. ii. p. 90, note).* 

In a sumptuous Latin MS. of the Bible, written so lute as the thirteenth 
century, formerly belonging to the Capuchin Convent at Montpelier, after- 
ward* in the possession of Harley, Earl of Oxford, and now deposited in 
the British Museum, the verse of the three heavenly witnesses is wanting, as 
appears by the following literal extract from it : 



Die est qui uenit per aquam (3 sanguineus tlje rpTT 

Hon in aq solum, set) iu aqua (3 sanptnem (3 spit. 

spe est qui testiftcatuF quoniam rpe est Ijeritas. 

(Quoniam tres sunt qui testimonium bant in tra* Spe". 

aqua. (3 sanguis. €t tres unum sunif 



' The following Greek and Latin authors have not quoted the text : X 
Greek authors: — Irenseus — Clemens Alexandrinus— Dionysius Alexandri- 
Rxms, (or the writer against Paul of Samosata under his name) — Athanasius 
—The Synopsis of Scripture — The Synod of Sardica—Epiphanius— Basil- 
Alexander of Alexandria — Gregory Nyssen — Xazianzen, with his two com- 
mentators, Elias Cretensis and Nicetas — Didymus de Spiritu Sancto — Cliry- 
sostome — An author under his name de sancta et consubstantia! i Trinitate — 
Caesarius — Proclus — The Council of Nice, as it is represented by Gelasius 
Cyzicenus — Hyppolytus — Andrias — Six catenae quoted by Simon — The mar- 
ginal scholia of three MSS. — Hesychius — John Damascenus — Oecumenius 
— Euthymius Zigabenus. 

Latin authors : — The author de Baptismo Hsereticorum, among Cyprian's 
works — Novatian— Hilary — Lucifer Calazitanus — Jerome — Augustine — Am- 
brose — Faustinus Leo Magnus— The author de Promissis — Eucherius — 

Facundus— Cerealis — Rusticus — Bede— Gregory — Philastrius — Arnobius, 
junior — Pope Eusebius. 

It is evident that if the text of the heavenly witnesses had been known from 
the beginning of Christianity, the ancients would have eagerly seized it, 
inserted it in their creeds, quoted it repeatedly against the heretics, and 
selected it as the brightest ornament of every book that they wrote upon the 

* Improved version of the New Testament, 1808. 

t Haul. Coll. MSS. Cod. 4773. J Porson's Letters to Travis, p. 363. 



IX 

By the publication of this volume, the Editor conceives 
he has rendered an acceptable service to the theological 
student and the ecclesiastical antiquary; — he has endeavoured 
to render it more gratifying to the reader, and more con- 
venient for reference, by arranging the books into chapters, 
and dividing the chapters into verses. He has only to add, 
that the lover of old literature will here find the obscure 
but unquestionable origin of several remarkable relations in 
the Golden Legend, the Lives of the Saints, and similar 

subject of the Trinity. In short, if this verse be really genuine, notwith- 
standing its absence from all the visible Greek MSS. except two, one of 
which awkwardly translates the verse from the Latin, and the other tran- 
scribes it from a printed book ; notwithstanding its absence from all the 
versions except the vulgate ; and even from many of the best and oldest 
MSS. of the vulgate ; notwithstanding the deep and dead silence of 
all the Greek writers down to the thirteenth, and most of the Latins down 
to the middle of the eighth century ; if, in spite of all these objections, it be 
still genuine, no part of Scripture whatsoever can be proved either spurious 
or genuine ; and Satan has been permitted, for many centuries, miraculously 
to banish the finest passage in the N. T. from the eyes and memories of 
almost all the Christian authors, translators, and transcribers.* 

Sir Isaac Newton observes, " that what the Latins have done to this text 
(1 John v. 7), the Greeks have done to that -of St. Paul (Timothy iii. 16). 
For by changing o into the abbreviation of Geoc, they now read, Great is 
the mystery of Godliness : God manifested in the flesh : whereas all the churches 
for the first four or five hundred years, and the authors of all the ancient 
versions, Jerome, as well as the rest, read, ' 'Great is the mystery of godliness 
which was manifested in the flesh-.' " Sir Isaac gives a list of authors, who, be 
says, " wrote all of them, in the fourth and fifth centuries for the Deity of 
the Son, and incarnation of God ; and some of them largely, and in several 
tracts ; and yet," he says, " I cannot find that they ever allege this text to 
prove it, excepting that Gregory Nyssenf once urges it, (if the passage crept 
not into him out of some marginal annotation). In all the times of the hot 
and lasting Arian controversy, it never came into play ; though now these 
disputes are over, they that read God made manifest in the flesh, think Sir 
Isaac says, " one of the most obvious and pertinent texts for the business." 

There are other interpolations and corruptions of passages in the New 
Testament, but the Editor perceives that the few observations he has hastily 
collected and thrown together in this note, have already extended it to undue 
length, and it must here close. 

* Porson'-s Letters to Travis, 8vo, p. 402. 
■rOrat. sA. Contra Eunom. 



productions, concerning the birth of the Virgin, her marriage 
with Joseph, on the budding of his rod, the nativity of Jesus, 
the miracles of his Infancy, his labouring with Joseph at 
the carpentry trade, and the actions of his followers. Several 
of the papal pageants for the populace, and the monkish 
mysteries performed as dramas at Chester, Coventry, New- 
castle, and in other parts of England, are almost verbatim 
representations of the stories. Many valuable pictures by 
the best masters — prints by the early engravers, particularly 
of the Italian and German schools — wood cuts in early black 
letter, and black books — and illumination of missals and 
monastic MSS. — receive immediate elucidation on referring 
to the Apocryphal New Testament, and are without explana- 
tion from any other source. 




THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE PRESENTING THE LABORS OF THE COUNCIL OF NICE TO 
CHRIST FOR HIS BLESSING. [Page H. 



FROM AN EARLY GREEK MANUSCRIPT. 



THE 



ORDER OF ALL THE BOOKS 

OF THE 

APOCRYPHAL NEW TESTAMENT, 



WITH 



Their proper Names and Number of Chapters 



"T1TARY hath Chapters 
JJX p r otevangelion 

I. Infancy .... 

II. Infancy . . 
Christ and Abgarus 
The Apostles' Creed 
Laodiceans . . . 
Paul and Seneca 
Paul and Thecla 

I. Corinthians . 

II. Corinthians . 
Barnabas . . . 



. 8 
. 16 
.22 
. 4 
.22 
. 1 
. 1 
. 14 
. 12 
. 23 
. 4 
. 15 



Ephesians hath Chapters . 4 

Magnesians 4 

Trallians 4 

Romans 3 

Philadelphians 3 

Smyrnseans 3 

Polycarp 3 

Philippians 4 

I. Hernias — Visions . . , 4 

II. Hermas — Commands . 12 

III. Hernias — Similitudes . 10 
Letters of Herod and Pilate 7 

(xi) 



PREFACE 

TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



ALTHOUGH THE APOCRYPHAL NEW TESTAMENT Was put Out without 

pretension or ostentatious announcement,, or even solicitude for its fate, yet a 
large Edition has been sold in a few months. The Public demanding an- 
other, to this second Edition a small fragment of the Second Epistle of 
Clement to the Corinthians, accidentally omitted, has been added ; it forms 
the fifth chapter of that Epistle. There is, likewise annexed, a Table of the 
years wherein all the Books of the New Testament are stated to have been 
written : to the " Order of the Books of the Apocryphal New Testa- 
ment," the authorities from whence they have been taken are affixed ; and ? 
finally, many errors in the numerous scriptural references subjoined in the 
notes to the Epistles have been corrected. These are the only material vari- 
ations from the first Edition. 

It escaped the Editor to notice that the legends of the Koran and the Hin- 
doo Mythology are considerably connected with this volume. Many of the 
acts and miracles ascribed to the Indian God, Creeshna, during his incarna- 
tion, are precisely the same with those attributed to Christ in his infancy, by 
the Apocryphal Gospels, and so largely particularized by the Rev. Thomas 
Maurice in his learned History of Hindostan. 

Reference to the preceding Preface will leave little doubt that the Apo- 
cryphal writings formed an interesting portion of the lay, as well as the 
monkish literature of our forefathers. There is a Translation of the Gospel 
of Nicodemus almost coeval with the origin of printing in England ; (a) and 
ancient MSS. of the Gospels of the Infancy are still extant in the Welsh lan- 
guage under the title of Mabinogi Jesu Grist. 

Concerning any genuineness of any portion of the work, the Editor has 
not offered an opinion, nor is it necessary that he should. The brief notice 
at the head of each Gospel directs the reader to its source, and will assist him 
to inquire further, and form an opinion for himself. Yet respecting the 
Epistles, which commence at page 91, and occupy the remaining two-thirds 
of the volume, the Editor would call attention to Archbishop Wake's testi- 

(o) It was printed, in quarto, first by ffiBEgnkgn ie WLartst in 1509 ; next by Jogn Sfcot in 
1525 ; by the same printer subsequently ; and several times afterwards. 

xii 



PKEFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. Xlll 

mony. The pious and learned Prelate says, that these Epistles (a) are a full 
and perfect collection of " all the genuine writings that remain to us of the 
Apostolic Fathers, and carry on the antiquity of the Church from the time 
of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament to about a hundred and fifty 
years after Christ ; that except the Holy Scriptures, there is nothing remain- 
ing of the truly genuine Christian antiquity more early ; (6) that they contain 
all that can with any certainty be depended upon of the most Primitive 
Fathers, (c) who had not only the advantage of living in the apostolical times, 
of hearing the Ploly Apostles, and conversing with them, but were most of 
them persons of a very eminent character in the church, too : (d) that we 
cannot with any reason doubt of what they deliver to us as the Gospel of 
Christ, but ought to receive it, if not with equal veneration, yet but a little 
less respect than we do the Sacred Writings of those who were their masters 
and instructors;" and, ''if," says the Archbishop, (who translated these 
Epistles), (e) ''it shall be asked how I came to choose the drudgery of a 
translator, rather than the more ingenious part of publishing somewhat of 
my own composing, it was, in short, this ; because I hoped that such writ- 
ings as these would find a more general and unprejudiced acceptance with all 
sorts of men than anything that could be written by any one now living." 

As a literary curiosity, the work has attracted much notice ; as throwing a 
light upon the arts of design and engraving, it has already been useful to the 
painter, and the collector of pictures and prints ; and, as relating to theology, 
it has induced various speculations and inquiry. 

But the Editor has been charged with expressing too little veneration for 
the councils of the Church. He feels none. It is true that respecting the 
three hundred Bishops assembled at the council of Nice, the Emperor Con- 
stantine (/) says, that what was approved by these Bishops could be nothing 
less than the determination of God himself; since the Holy Spirit residing in 
such great and worthy souls, unfolded to them the divine will, (g) Yet Sa- 
binus, the Bishop of Heraclea, affirms, that, " excepting Constantine himselfi 
and Eusebius Pamphilus, they were a set of illiterate simple creatures, that 
understood nothing ; " and Pappus seems to have estimated them very low, 
for in his Synodicon to that council, he tells us, that having " promiscuously 
put all the books that were referred to the council for determination, under 
*.he communion table in a church, they besought the Lord that the inspired 
writings might get upon the table while the spurious ones remained under- 
neath, and that it happened accordingly." A commentator (h) on this 
legend suggests that nothing less than such a sight could sanctify that fiery 
zeal whicli breathes throughout an edict published by Constantine, in which 
he decrees that all the writings of Arius should be burned and that any per- 
son concealing any writing composed by him, and not immediately producing 
it, and committing it to the flames, should be punished with death, (i) Let 
us, with the illustrious Jortin, (k) consider a council called, and presided over 

(a) Abp. Wake's Apostolic Fathers, Bagster's Edition, 8vo, 1817, Prelim. Disc, p. 120. 

(b) Abp. Wake's Apostolic Fathers, Bagster's Edition, 8vo, Prelim. Disc, p. 120. 

(c) p. 126. (d) p. 128. 

(e) p. 155. (/) Socrates, Schol. Eccl. Hist. b. i. 9. (g) Ibid. c. 9. 

(h) Mace's N. Test., p. 875. (i) Socrates, Schol. Eccl. Hist. b. i. c. 9. 

(k) Rem. on Eccl. Hist. vol. ii. p. 177. 



XIV PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 

by this Barbarian Founder of the church militant; by what various motives 
the various Bishops may have been influenced ; as by reverence to the Em- 
peror or to his counsellors and favourites, his slaves and eunuchs; by the 
fear of offending some great prelate, as a Bishop of Rome or of Alexandria, 
who had it in his power to insult, vex, and plague all the bishops within and 
without his jurisdiction ; by the dread of passing for heretics, and of being 
calumniated, reviled, hated, anathematized, excommunicated, imprisoned, 
banished, fined, beggared, starved, if they refused to submit ; by compliance 
with some active leading and imperious spirits; by a deference to the ma- 
jority ; by a love of dictating and domineering, of applause and respect; by 
vanity and ambition ; by a total ignorance of the question in debate, or a 
total indifference about it; by private friendships; by enmity and resent, 
ment ; by old prejudices ; by hopes of gain ; by an indolent disposition ; by 
good nature ; by the fatigue of attending, and a desire to be at home ; by the 
love of peace and quiet ; and a hatred of contention, &c. (a) Whosoever 
takes these things into due consideration will not be disposed to pay a blind 
deference to the authority of general councils but will rather be inclined to 
judge that *' the council held by the Apostles at Jerusalem was the first and 
the last in which the Holy Spirit my be affirmed to have presided." (6) 

In accommodation to this opinion, the Church of England compels her 
clergy to subscribe to the following among the thirty-nine *' Articles of Re- 
ligion." (c) u When general councils be gathered together, forasmuch as 
they be an assembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the spirit and 
will of God they may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertain- 
ing unto God ; wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation 
have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be 
taken out of the Holy Scriptures." 

After eighteen centuries of bloodshed and cruelties perpetrated in the 
name of Christianity, it is gradually emerging from the mystifying subtleties 
of fathers, councils and hierarchies, and the encumbering edicts of soldier- 
kings and papal decretals. Charmed by the loveliness of its primitive si Da- 



ta) These considerations are more or less natural on becoming acquainted with the 
proceedings of every council, from that of Nice to that of Trent, in the year 1545, 
which, Father Paul says, was for divers ends and by divers means, procured and has- 
tened, hindered and deferred, for two and twenty years; and, for eighteen years more, 
was sometimes assembled and sometimes dissolved. Brent, a translator of Paul's His- 
tory of that Council says, " it would be infinite to relate the stratagems the bishops of 
Rome used to divert the council before it began, their postings to and fro, to hinder 
the proposing of those things which they thought would diminish their profit or pull 
down their pride; and their policies to enthral the prelates, and to procure a majority 
of voices." 

It is stated by Guicciardini, that, "as the priests were raised step by step to earthly 
power, they cared less and less for religious precepts. Using their spiritual only as an 
instrument of their temporal authority, their business was no more sanctity of life, in- 
crease of religion, and love and charity towards their neighbours— but fomenting wars 
among Christians, and employing all arts and snares to scrape money together, and 
making new laws against the people. Hence they were no longer respected, although, by 
the powerful name of religion, they maintained their authority, being helped therein,'* 
says Guicciardini, "by the faculty which they have of gratifying princes.'''— Guicciardini's 
Hist. b. iv. 

(6) Jortin's Rem. on Eccl. Hist., vol. ii. p. 177. (c) Art. xxi. 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. XV 

plicity, every sincere human heart will become a temple for its habitation 
and every man becomes a priest unto himself. Thus, and thus only, will be 
established the religion of Him, who, having the same interest with ourselves 
in the welfare of mankind, left us, for the rule of our happiness, the sum and 
substance of his code of peace and good will—" Whatsoever ye would that 
men should do to you, do ye even so to them. 

By some persons of the multitude, commonly known by the name of 
Christians, and who profess to suppose they do God service by calling 
themselves so, the Editor has been attacked with a malignity and fury that 
would have graced the age of Mary and Elizabeth, when Catholics put to 
death Protestants, and Protestants put to death Catholics, for the sake of him 
who commanded mankind to love one another. To these assailants, he owes 
no explanation ; to the craft of disingenuous criticism, he offers no reply ; to 
the bolt of the Bigot, and the shaft of the Shrinemaker, he scarcely con- 
descends the opposition of a smile. 



ORDER OF ALL TITE BOOKS OP TITE APOCRYPHAL NEW TESTAMENT. 



No.oflp Authorities. Se« also the authorities more at large in 

Chap. :i>r ''' Mm K,,ti.-f-^ 1. ,•(.,!■« ...-.<-ii i'.,.<.w 



Mary hath . . 

Protevangelicm 



I. Infancy 



II. Infancy 



Christ and Abgarus 



Nicodemus .... 
Apostles' Creed in it 
ancient state . . . 



Apostles' Creed in iti 
present state . . . . 



Laodiceans 



Paul and Seneca . 



Paul and Thecla . 



I. Corinthians .... 

II. Corinthians .... 

Barnabas 

Ephesians 

Magnesians 

Trallians 

Itomans 

Philadelphians .... 

Srayrnseans 

Poly carp 

Philippians 

I. Hermas — Visions . . 

II. Hermas— Commands 

III. Hermas — Simili- 
tudes 



tho Notices bclui-o each Look. 



21 

5 

15 

4 
4 

3 
3 

3 

3 
3 
4 
4 
12 



80 



17 
24 

38 
GO 

G2 

C3 
91 



112 
139 
145 
106 
172 
175 
178 
182 
185 
189 
192 
197 
212 

228 



In the works of St. Jerome, a Father 
of the Church, who died A. D. 420. 

Postellus brought the^IS. from the Le- 
vant, translated it into Latin, and caused 
it to be printed at Zurich, in IV 2. 

Received by the Gnostics, a set of Chris- 
tians in the second Century, and translated 
into English by Mr. Henry Sike, Oriental 
Professor at Cambridge, in 1G97. 

Printed by Professor Coteleriua,in a note 
to his works of the Apostolic Fathers, from 
a MS. in the King of France's Library, No. 
2279, and Bishop of Csesarea, A.D. 315. 

Preserved by Eusebius, one of the Coun- 
cil cf Nice in his Ecclesiastical History, 
Book I. chap. 13. 

Published by Professor Grynseus, in the 
Orthodoxographia, 1555, torn. ii. p. 643. 

Without the articles of Christ's Descent 
into Hell and the Communion of Saints. See 
it thus handed down in Mr. Justice Bai- 
ley's Edition of the Book of Common 
Prayer, 8vo, 1813, p. 9, note. Also in 
Bingham's Antiquities of the Christian 
Church, folio, 1726, B. 10, c. 4, s. 12. 

In the Book of Common Prayer of the 
Church of England. 

From Ancient MSS. in the Sorbonne 
and the Library of Ioannes a Yiridario at 
Padua. See also Poole's Annotations on 
Col. iv. 16, and Harl. MSS. Cod. 1212. 

Jerome ranks Seneca on account of these 
Epistles among the holy writers of the 
Church. They are preserved by Sixtus 
Senensis, in his Bibliotheque, p. 89, 90. 

From the Greek MS. in the Bodleian 
Library, copied by Dr. Mills, and trans- 
mitted to Dr. Grabe, who edited and 
printed it in his Specilegium. 

These are "The Genuine Epistles of 
the Apostolic Fathers ; being, together with 
the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament 
a complete collection of the most prim Hive An- 
tiquity for about a hundred and fifty years 
after Christ. Translated and published with 
a large preliminary discourse relating to the 
several Treatisesby the most Here raid Father 
in God, William, (Wake) Lord Bishop of 
Lincoln," afterwards Lord Archbishop of 
Canterbury. The authorities and proofs 
adduced by this erudite and honest pre- 
late will be found in great number in the 
introduction and discourses to the Edi- 
tion of the Archbishop's Translation of 
these "Epistles, published in 1817, by Mr. 
Bagster, Paternoster Row. 



Note.— Column 1 contains the proper names of the Books; col. 2 the No. of chapters in 
each ; col. 3 the page whereon each Book commences; col- 4 the authorities for each 
briefly stated. 



\ 




THE BIRTH OF THE VIRGIN. [Pace 19. 

FROM A GREEK DIPTVCHON OF THE THIRTEENTH OR FOURTEENTH CENTURY. 



THE 



^porriipljot Una testament 



The GOSPEL of the BIRTH OF MARY. 

[In the primitive ages there was a Gospel extant bearing this name, attri- 
buted to St. Matthew, and received as genuine and authentic by several 
of the ancient Christian sects. It is to be found in the works of Jerome, 
a Father of the Church, who flourished in the fourth century, from 
whence the present translation is made. His contemporaries, Epipha- 
nius, Bishop of Salamis, and Austin, also mention a Gospel under this 
title. The ancient copies differed from Jerome's, for from one of them 
the learned Faustus, a native of Britain, who became Bishop of Riez, in 
Provence, endeavoured to prove that Christ was not the Son of God till 
after his baptism; and that he was not of the house of David and tribe 
of Judah, because, according to the Gospel he cited, the Virgin herself 
was not of this tribe, but of the tribe of Levi ; her father being a priest 
of the name of Joachim. It was likewise from this Gospel that the 
sect of the Collyridians, established the worship and offering of man- 
chet bread and cracknels, or fine wafers, as sacrifices to Mary, whom 
they imagined to have been born of a Virgin, as Christ is related in. 
the Canonical Gospel to have been born of her. Epiphanius likewise 
cites a passage concerning the death of Zacharias, which is not in, 
Jerome's copy, viz. *' That it was the occasion of the death of Zacharias 
in the temple, that when he had seen a vision, he, through surprise, was; 
willing to disclose it, and his mouth was stopped. That which he saw 
was at the time of his offering incense, and it was a man standing in the- 
form of an ass. When he was gone out, and had a mind to speak thus 
to the people, Woeunto you, whom do ye worship f he who had appeared. 
to him in the temple took away the use of his speech. Afterwards- 
when he recovered it, and was able to speak, he declared this to the- 
Jews, andthey slew him. They add (viz. the Gnostics in this book), 
that on this very account the high-priest was appointed by their lawgiver 
(by God to Moses), to carry little bells, that whensoever he went into 
the temple to sacrifice, he, whom they worshipped, hearing the noisr. of 
the bells, might have time enough to hide himself, and not be. caught in 
that ugly shape and figure."— The principal part of this Gospel is con- 
tained in the Protevangelion of James, which follows next in order.] 



CHAP. I. 

1 The parentage of Mary. 7 Joachim 
her father, and Anna her mother, go 
to Jerusalem to the feast of the dedi- 
cation. 9 Issachar the high priest re- 
proaches Joachim for being childless. 

TPHE blessed and ever glorious 
JL Virgin Mary, sprung from 
the royal race and family of Da- 
vid, was born in the city of Naza- 
reth, and educated at Jerusalem, 
in the temple of the Lord. 



2 Her father's narr.e was Joa- 
chim, and her motner's Anna. 
The family of her father was of 
Galilee and the cicy of Nazareth. 
The family of hf r mother, was of 
Bethlehem. 

3 Their livc^ were plain and 
right in fLc sight of the Lord, 
pious -ind faultless before men. 
For they divided all their sub- 
sta ice into three parts : 

4 One of which they devoted 



2 " 1.7 



Mary' 8 parents barn ru 



MARY 



An Angel appears, and 



to the temple and officers of the 
temple; another they distributed 
among strangers, and persons in 
poor circumstances ; and the 
third they reserved for them- 
selves and the uses of their own 
family. 

5 In this manner they lived for 
about twenty years chastely, in 
the favour of God, and the esteem 
of men, without any children. 

6 But they vowed, if God 
should favour them with any is- 
sue, they would devote it to the 
service of , the Lord; on which 
account they w 7 ent at every feast 
in the year to the temple of the 
Lord. 1 

7 f And it came to pass, that 
when the feast of the dedication 
drew near, Joachim, with some 
others of his tribe, went up to 
Jerusalem, and at that time, Is- 
sachar was high-priest ; 

8 Who, when he saw Joachim 
along with the rest of his neigh- 
bours, bringing his offering, des- 
pised both him and his offerings, 
and asked him, 

9 Why he, who had no chil- 
dren, w T ould presume to appear 
among those who had ? Adding, 
that his offerings could never be 
acceptable to God, who was 
judged by him unworthy to have 
children ; the Scripture having 
said, Cursed is every one who 
shall not beget a male in Israel. 

10. Ht further said, that he 
ought first to be free from that 
curse by begetting some issue, 
and then com°, with his offerings 
into the presence of God. 

11 But Joachim being much 
confounded with the shame of 
such reproach, retired to the 
shepherds, who were with the 
cattle in their pastures ; 

12 For he was not inclined to 



return home, lest his neighbours, 
who were present and heard all 
this from the high-priest, should 

publicly reproach him in the 
same manner. 

CHAP. II. 

1 An angel appears to Joachim, 9 and 
inform* him that Anna shall con- 
ceive and bring forth a daughter, who 
shall be called Mary, 11 be brought 
up in the temple, 12 and while yet a 
virgin, in a way unparalleled, bring 
forth the Son of God: 13 gives him a 
sign, 14 and departs. 

BUT when he had been there 
for some time, on a certain' 
day when he was alone, the an- 
gel of the Lord stood by him 
with a prodigious light. 

2 To whom, being troubled at 
the appearance, the angel who 
had appeared to him, endeavour- 
ing to compose him said : 

3 Be not afraid, Joachim, nor 
troubled at the sight of me, for I 
am an angel of the Lord sent by 
him to you, that I might inform 
you, that your prayers are heard, 
and your alms ascended in the 
sight of God. 2 

4 For he hath surely seen 
your shame, and heard you un- 
justly reproached for not having 
children : for God is the avenger 
of sin, and not of nature ; 

5 And so when he shuts the 
womb of any person, he does it 
for this reason, that he may in a 
more wonderful manner again 
open it, and that which is born 
appear to be not the product of 
lust, but the gift of God. 

6 For the first mother of your 
nation Sarah, was she not barren 
even till her eightieth year: And 
yet even in the end of her old 
age brought forth Isaac, in whom 
the promise w T as made a blessing 
to all nations. 3 



^am. i. 6, 7, Ac. 
18 



Acts x. 4. * Gen. xvi. 2, &c. and xviii. 10, &c. 



promises them a child. 



MARY. 



Anna conceives 



7 Rachel also, so much in fa- 
vour with God, and beloved so 
much by holy Jacob, continued 
barren for a long time, yet after- 
wards was the mother of Joseph, 
who was not only governor of 
Egypt, but delivered many na- 
tions from perishing with hun- 
ger. 1 

8 Who among the judges was 
more valiant than Samson, or 
more holy than Samuel? And yet 
both their mothers were barren. 2 

9 But if reason will not con- 
vince you of the truth of my 
words, that there are frequent 
conceptions in advanced years, 
and that those who were barren 
have brought forth to their great 
surprise; therefore Anna your 
wife shall bring you a daugh- 
ter, and you shall call her name 
Mary ; 

10 She shall, according to 
your vow, be devoted to the 
Lord from her infancy, and be 
filled with the Holy Ghost from 
her mother's womb ; 3 

11 She shall neither eat nor 
drink anything which is unclean, 
nor shall her conversation be 
without among the common peo- 
ple, but in the temple of the 
Lord ; that so she may not fall 
under any slander or suspicion 
of what is bad. 

12 So in the process of her 
years, as she shall be in a mira- 
culous manner born of one that 
was barren, so she shall, while 
yet a virgin, in a way unparal- 
leled, bring forth the Son of the 
most High God, who shall, be 
called Jesus, and, according to 
the signification of his name, be 
the Saviour of all nations. 4 

13 And this shall be a sign 
to you of the things which I de- 



clare, namely, when you com 
to the golden gate of Jerusalem, 
you shall there meet your wife 
Anna, who being very much 
troubled that you returned no, 
sooner, shall then rejoice to see 
you. 

14 When the angel had said 
this he departed from him. 

CHAP. III. 

1 The angel appears to Anna ; 2 tells 
her a daughter shall be bom unto her, 
3 devoted to the service of the Lord in 
the temple, 5, who, being a virgin and 
not knowing man, shall bring forth 
the Lord, 6 and gives her a sign 
therefore. 8 Joachim and Anna meet 
and rejoice, 10 and praise the Lord. 
11 Anna conceives, and brings forth 
a daughter called Mary. 

AFTERWARDS the^ angel 
appeared to Anna his wife 
saying : Fear not, neither think 
that which you see is a spirit. 5 

2 For I am that angel who 
hath offered up your prayers and 
alms before God, and am now 
sent to you, that I may inform 
you, that a daughter will be born 
unto you, who shall be called 
Mary, and shall be blessed above 
all women. 6 

3 She shall be, immediately 
upon her birth, full of the grace 
of the Lord, and shall continue 
during the three years of her 
weaning in her father's house, 
and afterwards, being devoted to 
the service of the Lord, shall 
not depart from the temple, till 
she arrives to years of discretion. 

4 In a word, she shall there 
serve the Lord night and day in 
fasting and prayer, 7 shall abstain 
from every unclean thing, and 
never know any man ; 

5 But, being an unparalleled 
instance without any pollution 
or defilement, and a virgin not 



x Gen. xxx. 1—22, and xli. 1, &c. " Judg. xiii. 2. and 1 8am. 6. 
3 Lake i. 15. *Matth. i. 21. 6 Mattb. xiv. 26. 6 Luke i. 28. 'Lukeii. 



&c. 
37. 



19 



Mary burn. 



MARY. Ministered unto by Angcli. 



tnowing any man, shall bring 
forth a son, and a maid shall 
bring forth the Lord, who both by 
his grace and name and works, 
shall be the Saviour of the world. 

6 Arise therefore, and go up 
to Jerusalem, and when you 
shall come to that which is 
called the golden gate (because 
it is gilt with gold), as a sign of 
what I have told you, you shall 
meet your husband, ior whose 
safety you have been so much 
concerned. 

7 When therefore you find 
these things thus accomplished, 
believe that all the rest which I 
have told you, shall also un- 
doubtedly be accomplished. 

8 \ According therefore to 
the command of the angel, both 
of them left the places where 
they were, and when they came 
to the place specified in the an- 
gel's prediction, they met each 
other. 

9 Then, rejoicing at each oth- 
er's vision, and being fully satis- 
fied in the promise of a child, 
they gave due thanks to the 
Lord, who exalts the humble. 

10 After having praised the 
Lord, they returned home, and 
lived in a cheerful and assured 
expectation of the promise of 
God. 

11 Tf So Anna conceived, and 
brought forth a daughter, and, 
according to the angel's com- 
mand, the parents did call her 
name Mary. 

CHAP. IV. 

1 Mary brought to the temple at three 
years old. 6 Ascends the stairs of 
the temple by miracle. 8 Her parents 
sacrificed, and returned home. 

AND when three years were 
expired, and the time of her 
weaning complete, they brought 



1 the Virgin to the temple of the 
Lord with offerings. 

2 And there were about the 
temple, according to the fifteen 
Psalms of degrees, 1 fifteen stairs 
to ascend. 

3 For the temple being built 
in a mountain, the altar of burnt- 
offering, which was without, 
could not be come near but by 
stairs ; 

4 The parents of the blessed 
Virgin and infant Mary put her 
upon one of these stairs ; 

5 But while they were putting 
off their clothes, in which they 
had travelled, and according to 
custom putting on some that 
w T ere more neat and clean, 

6 In the mean time the Vir- 
gin of the Lord in such a man- 
ner w r ent up all the stairs one 
after another, without the help 
of any to lead or lift her, that 
any one would have judged from 
hence that she was of perfect age. 

7 Thus the Lord did, in the 
infancy of his Virgin, work this 
extraordinary work, and evi- 
dence by this miracle how great 
she was like to be hereafter. 

8 But the parents having of- 
fered up their sacrifice, accord- 
ing to the custom of the law, 
and perfected their vow, left the 
Virgin with other virgins in the 
apartments of the temple, who 
w r ere to be brought up there, 
and they returned home. 

CHAP. V. 

2 Mary ministered unto by angels. 4 
The high-priest orders all virgins of 
fourteen years old to quit the temple 
and endeavour to be married. 5 
Mary refuses, 6 having vowed her vir- 
ginity to the Lord. 7 The high-priest 
commands a meeting of the chief per- 
sons of Jerusalem, 11 who seek the 
Lord for counsel in the matter. 13 A 
voice from the mercy- seat. 15 The 



1 Those Psalms are from the 1 20th to the 134th, including both. 
20 



Her vow of virginity. 



MARY. The high-priest in difficulty. 



high-priest obeys it by ordering all 
the unmarried men of the house of 
David to bring their rods to the altar, 
17 that his rod which should flower, 
and on which the Spirit of God should 
sit, should betroth the Virgin. 

BUT the Virgin of the Lord, 
as she advanced in years, 
increased also in perfections, and 
according to the saying of the 
Psalmist, her father and mother 
forsook her, but the Lord took 
care of her. 

2 For she every day had the 
conversation of angels, and every 
day received visitors from God, 
which preserved her from all 
sorts of evil, and caused her to 
abound with all good things ; 

3 So that when at length she 
arrived to her fourteenth year, 
as the wicked could not lay any- 
thing to her charge worthy of 
reproof, so all good persons, who 
were acquainted with her, ad- 
mired her life and conversation. 

4 At that time the high-priest 
made a public order. That all 
the virgins who had public set- 
tlements in the temple, and were 
come to this age, should return 
home, and, as they were now of 
a proper maturity, should, ac- 
cording to the custom of their 
country, endeavour to be mar- 
ried. 

5 To which command, though 
all the other virgins readily 
yielded obedience, Mary the 
Virgin of the Lord alone an- 
swered, that she could not com- 
ply with it. 

6 Assigning these reasons, that 
both she and her parents had 
devoted her to the service of the 
Lord ; and besides, that she had 
vowed virginity to the Lord, 
which vow she was resolved never 



to break through by lying with 
a man. 

7 The high priest being here- 
by brought into a difficulty, 

8 Seeing he durst neither on 
the one hand dissolve the vow, 
and disobey the Scripture, which 
says, Vow and pay, 1 

9 Nor on the other hand in- 
troduce a custom, to which the 
people were strangers, com- 
manded, 

10 That at the approaching 
feast all the principal persons 
both of Jerusalem and the neigh- 
bouring places should meet to- 
gether, that he might have their 
advice, how he had best proceed 
in so difficult a case. 

11 When they were accord- 
ingly met, they unanimously 
agreed to seek the Lord, and ask 
counsel from him on this matter. 2 

12 And when they were all 
engaged in prayer, the high- 
priest, according to the usual 
way, went to consult God. 

13 And immediately there was 
a voice from the ark, and the 
mercy seat, which all present 
heard, that it must be inquired 
or sought out by a prophecy of 
Isaiah to whom the Virgin should 
be given and be betrothed ; 

14 For Isaiah saith, there 
shall come forth a rod out of the 
stem of Jesse, and a flower shall 
spring out of its root, 

15 And the Spirit of the Lord 
shall rest upon him, the Spirit 
of Wisdom and Understanding, 
the Spirit of Counsel and Might, 
the Spirit of Knowledge and 
Piety, and the Spirit of the fear 
of the Lord shall fill him. 

16 Then, according to this 
prophecy, he appointed, that all 



1 Eccles. v. 4, 5, 6; and Psalm Ixxvi. 11. 

2 Num. xxvii. 21, compared with Exo \. xxviii. 30; Lev. viii. 8 
xxxiii. 8; Ezra ii. 63; JSehern. vii. 65- 

21 



Deut. 



The I 



trgm 



/>; frothed. 



MARY. Angel Gabriel salutes Mart/ 



the men of the house and family 
of David, who were marriage- 
able, and not married, should 
bring their several rods to the 
altar, 

17 And out of whatsoever 
person's rod after it was brought, 
a flower should bud forth, and 
on the top of it the Spirit of the 
Lord should sit in the appear- 
ance of a dove, he should be the 
man to whom the Virgin should 
be given and be betrothed. 

CHAP. VI. 

1 Joseph draws back Jus rod. 5 The 
dove pitches on it. He betroths Mary 
and returns to Bethlehem. 7 Mary 
returns to her parents' house at Galilee. 

AMONG the rest there was a 
man named Joseph, of the 
house and family of David, and 
a person very far advanced in 
years, who drew back his rod, 
when every one besides presented 
his. 

2 So that when nothing ap- 
peared agreeable to the heavenly 
voice, the high-priest judged it 
proper to consult God again, 

3 Who answered that he to 
whom the Virgin was to be be- 
trothed was the only person of 
those who w T ere brought together, 
who had not brought his rod. 

4 Joseph therefore was be- 
trayed. 

5 For, when he did bring his 
rod, and a dove coming from 
Heaven pitched upon the top of 
it, every one plainly saw, that 
the Virgin was to be betrothed 
to him : 

6 Accordingly, the usual cere- 
monies of betrothing being over, 
he returned to his own city of 
Bethlehem, to set his house in 
order, and make the needful 
provisions for the marriage. 

7 But the Virgin of the Lord, 



1 Luke i. 28. 



Mary, with seven other virgins 
of the same age, who hud been 
weaned at the same time, and 
who had been appointed to at- 
tend her by the priest, returned 
to Jier parents' house in Galilee. 
CHAP. VII. 

7 The salutation of the Virgin by Ga- 
briel, who explains to her that the shall 
conceive, without lying with a man, 
while a Virgin, 19 by the Holy Ghost 
coming upon her without the heats of 
lust. 21 She submits. 

"VTOAV at this time of -her first 
Li coming into Galilee, the 
angel Gabriel was sent to her 
from God, to declare to her the 
conception of our Saviour, and 
the manner and way of her con- 
ceiving him. 

2 Accordingly going into her, 
he filled the chamber where she 
was with a prodigious light, and 
in a most courteous manner sa- 
luting her, he said, 

3 Hail, Mary ! Virgin of the 
Lord most acceptable ! O Vir- 
gin full of Grace ! The Lord is 
with you, you are blessed above 
all women, you are blessed above 
all men, that, have been hitherto 
born. 1 

4 But the Virgin, who had 
before been well acquainted with 
the countenances of angels, and 
to whom such light from heaven 
was no uncommon thing, 

5 Was neither terrified with 
the vision of the angel, nor 
astonished at the greatness of 
the light, but only troubled about 
the angel's words : 

6 And began to consider what 
so extraordinary a salutation 
should mean, w r hat it did por- 
tend, or what sort of end it 
would have. 2 

7 To this thought the angel, 
divinely inspired, replies ; 

8 Fear not, Mary, as though 

2 Luke i. 29. 



22 



And tells her she shall conceive. MARY. She is married to Joseph. 



I intended anything inconsistent 
with your chastity in this salu- 
tation : 

9 For you have found favour 
with the Lord, because you made 
virginity your choice. 

10 Therefore while you are a 
Virgin, you shall conceive with- 
out sin, and bring forth a son. 

11 He shall be great, because 
he shall reign from sea to sea, 
and from the rivers to the ends 
of the earth. 1 

12 And he shall be called the 
Son of the Highest ; for he who 
is born in a mean state on earth 
reigns in an exalted one in hea- 
ven. 

13 And the Lord shall give 
him the throne of his father Da- 
vid, and he shall reign over the 
house of Jacob for ever, and of 
his kingdom there shall be no 
end. 

14 For he is the King of 
Kings, and Lord of Lords, and 
his throne is for ever and ever. 

15 To this discourse of the 
angel the Virgin replied not, as 
though she were unbelieving, but 
willing to know the manner of it. 

16 She said, How can that be ? 
For seeing, according to my vow, 
I have never known any man, 
how can I bear a child without 
the addition of a man's seed? 



20 So that which shall be born 
of you shall be only holy, be- 
cause it only is conceived with- 
out sin, and being born, shall be 
called the Son of God. 

21 Then Mary stretching forth 
her hands, and lifting her eyes 
to heaven, said, Behold the hand- 
maid of the Lord! Let it be unto 
me according to thy word. 2 

CHAP. VIII. 

1 Joseph returns to Galilee to marry the 
Virgin he had betrothed. 4 perceives 
she is with child, 5 is uneasy, 7 pur- 
poses to put her away privily, 8 is told 
by the angel of the Lord it is not the 
work of man but the Holy Ghost, 12 
Marries her, but keeps chaste, 13 re- 
moves with her to Bethlehem, 15 where 
•she brings forth Christ. 

JOSEPH therefore went from 
Judaea to Galilee, with in- 
tention to marry the Virgin who 
was betrothed to him : 

2 For it was now near three 
months since she was betrothed 
to him. 

3 At length it plainly ap- 
peared she was with child, and it 
could not be hid from Joseph : 

4 For going to the Virgin in 
a free manner, as one espoused, 
and talking familiarly with her, 
he perceived her to be with child. 

5 And thereupon began to be 
uneasy and doubtful, not know- 



17 To this the angel replied ; ing what course it would be best 
and said, Think not, Mary, that ! to take ; 



you shall conceive in the ordi- 
nary way. 

18 For, without lying with a 



6 For being a just man, he 
was not willing to expose her, 
nor defame her by the suspicion 



man, while a Virgin, you shall of being a whore, since he was a 
conceive; while a Virgin, you pious man. 

shall bring forth ; and while a 7 He purposed therefore pri- 
Virgin shall give suck. vately to put an end to their 

19 For the Holy Ghost shall agreement, and as privately to 
come upon you, and the power | put her away, 
of the Most High shall over- 1 8 But while he was meditating 
shadow you, without any of the i these things, 3 behold the angel 
heats of lust. | of the Lord appeared to him in 

1 Luke i. 31, &c. 2 Luke i. 38. 3 Matt. i. 19. 

23 



Joachims offering THE PROTEVANGELION. 



his sleep, and said Joseph, son of 
David, fear not ; 

9 Be not willing to entertain 
any suspicion of the Virgin's 
bjing guilty of fornication, or to 
think any thing amiss of her, 
neither be afraid to take her to 
wife ; 

10 For that which is begotten 
in her and now distresses your 
mind, is not the work of man, 
but the Holy Ghost. 

11 For she of all women is 
that only Virgin who shall bring 
forth the Son of God, and you 
shall call his name Jesus, that 
is, Saviour : for he will save his 
people from their sins. 

12 Joseph thereupon, accord- 
ing to the command of the angel, 



married the Virgin, and did not 
know her, but kept her in chas- 
tity. 

13 And now the ninth month 
from her conception drew near, 
when Joseph took his wife and 
what other things were neces- 
sary to Bethlehem, the city from 
whence he came. 

14 And it came to pass, while 
they were there, the days were 
fulfilled for her bringing forth. 

15 And she brought forth her 
first-born son, as the holy Evan- 
gelists have taught, even our 
Lord Jesus Christ, who with the 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
lives and reigns to everlasting 
ages. 



The PROTEVANGELION ; or, An Historical Account of the 
BIRTH of CHRIST, and the Perpetual VIRGIN MARY, his 
Mother, by JAMES the lesser, Cousin and Brother of the 
Lord Jesus, chief Apostle and first Bishop of the Christians in 
Jerusalem. 

[This Gospel is ascribed to James. The allusions to it in the ancient Fa- 
thers are frequent, and their expressions indicate that it had obtained a 
very general credit in the Christian world. The controversies founded 
upon it chiefly relate to the age of Joseph at the birth of Christ, and to 
his being a widower with children, before his marriage with the Virgin. 
It seems material to remark, that the legends of the latter ages affirm 
the virginity of Joseph, notwithstanding Epiphanius, Hilary, Chrysos- 
tom, Cyril, Euthymius, Thephylact, Occumenius, and indeed all the 
Latin Fathers till Ambrose, and the Greek Fathers afterwards, main- 
tain the opinions of Joseph's age and family, founded upon their belief 
in the authenticity of this book- It is supposed to have been originally 
composed in Hebrew. Postellus brought the MS. of this Gospel from 
the Levant, translated it into Latin, and sent it to Oporimns, a printer 
at Basil, where Bibliander, a Protestant Divine, and the Professor of 
Divinity at Zurich, caused it to be printed in 1552. Postellus asserts 
that it was publicly read as canonical in the eastern churches, they 
making no doubt that James was the author of it. It is, nevertheless, 
considered apocryphal by some of the most learned divines in the Pro- 
testant and Catholic churches.] 



CHAP. I. 

Joachim, a rich man, 2 offers to the 
Lord, 3 is opposed by Reuben the high- 
priest, because he has not begotten 
issue in Israel, 6 retires into the wil- 
derness and fasts forty days and forty 
nights. 



IN the history of the twelve 
tribes of Israel we read there 
was a certain person called Joa- 
chim, who being very rich, made 
double 1 offerings to the Lord 
[ God, having made this resolu- 



1 That is, gave as much more as he was obliged to give. 



24 




ELIZABETH RECEIVING THE VISIT OF MARY. [Ptige 

FROM A GREEK DIPTYCHON OF THE THIRTEENTH OR FOURTEENTH CENTURY. 






rejected for his THE PROTEVANGELIOX. 



barrenness. 



tion : my substance shall be for 
the benefit of the whole people, 
and that I may find mercy from 
the Lord God for the forgiveness 
of my sins. 

2 But at a certain great feast 
of the Lord, when the children 
of Israel offered their gifts, and 
Joachim also offered his, Reuben 
the high-priest opposed him, say- 
ing it is not lawful for thee to 
offer thy gifts, seeing thou hast 
not begot any issue in Israel. 

3 At this Joachim being con- 
cerned very much, went away 
to consult the registries of the 
twelve tribes, to see whether he 
was the only person who had 
begot no issue. 

4 But upon inquiry he found 
that all the righteous had raised 
up seed in Israel : 

5 Then he called to mind the 
patriarch Abraham, How that 
God in the end of his life had 
given him his son Isaac.; upon 
which he was exceedingly dis- 
tressed, and would not be seen 
by his wife : 

6 But retired into the wilder- 
ness, and fixed his tent there, 
and fasted forty days and forty 
nights, saying to himself, 

7 I will not go down either to 
eat or drink, till the Lord my 
God shall look down upon me, 
but prayer shall be my meat and 
drink. 1 

CHAP. II. 

1 Anna, the wife of Joachim, mourns 
her barrenness, 6 is reproached with 
it by Judith her maid, 9 sits under a 
laurel tree and prays to the Lord. 

IX the meantime his wife Anna 
was distressed and perplexed 
on a double account, and said I 
will mourn both for my widow- 
hood and my barrenness. 

1 In imitation of the forty days and nights fast of Moses, recorded Exod. 
xxiv. 11, xxxiv. 28; Dent. ix. 9; of Elijah, 1 Kings xix. 8; and Christ's, 
Matt. iv. 2. 2 Gen. xxi. 2. 

25 



2 Then drew near a great 
feast of the Lord, and Judith 
her maid said, How long will 
you thus afflict your soul ? The 
feast of the Lord is now come, 
when it is unlawful for any one 
to mourn. 

3 Take therefore this hood 
which was given by one who 
makes such things, for it is not 
fit that I, who am a servant, 
should wear it, but it well suits 
a person of your greater char- 
acter. 

4 But Anna replied, Depart 
from me, I am not used to such 
things ; besides, the Lord hath 

! greatly humbled me. 

5 I fear some ill-designing 
person hath given thee this, and 

. thou art come to pollute me with 
! my sin. 

6 Then Judith her maid an- 
swered, "What evil shall I wish 

; you when you will not hearken 
i to me ? 

7 I cannot wish you a greater 
curse than you are under, in 

! that God hath shut up your 
! womb, that you should not be a 
' mother in Israel. 

8 At this Anna was exceed- 

: ingly troubled, and having on 
her wedding garment, went about 
three o'clock in the afternoon to 
walk in her garden. 

9 And she saw a laurel-tree, 
| and sat under it, and prayed 
| unto the Lord, saying, 

10 O God of my fathers, bless 
me and regard my prayer as 
thou didst bless the womb of 
Sarah, and gavest her a son 
Isaac. 2 

CHAP. III. 

1 Anna perceiving a sparrow's nest in 
the laurels bemoans her barrenness. 



Angeh ford, II THE PKOTEVANGELION. Mary, birth. 



AND as she was looking to- 
wards heaven she perceived 
a sparrow's nest in the laurel, 

2 And mourning within her- 
self, she said, Wo is me, who 
begat me? and what womb did 
bear me, that I should be thus 
accursed before the children of 
Israel, and that they should re- 
proach and deride me in the 
temple of my God: AVo is me, 
to what can I be compared ? 

3 I am not comparable to the 
very beasts of the earth, for even 
the beasts of the earth are fruit- 
ful before thee, O Lord! Wo 
is me, to what can I be com- 
pared ? 

4 I am not comparable to the 
brute animals, for even the brute 
animals are fruitful before thee, 

Lord ! Wo is me, to what am 

1 comparable? 

5 I cannot be compared to 
these waters, for even the waters 
are fruitful before thee, O Lord ! 
Wo is me, to what can I be 
compared ? 

6 I am not comparable to the 
waves of the sea ; for these, whe- 
ther they are calm, or in motion, 
with the fishes which are in 
them, praise thee, O Lord ! Wo 
is me, to what can I be com- 
pared ? 

7 I am not comparable to the 
very earth, for the earth pro- 
duces its fruits, and praises tliee, 

Lord ! 

CHAP. IV. 

1 An Angel appears to Anna and tells 
her she shall conceive; two angels ap- 
pear to her on the same errand. 5 
Joachim sacrifices. 8 Anna goes to 
meet him, 9 rejoicing that she shall 
conceive. 

THEN an angel of the Lord 
stood by her and said, Anna, 
Anna, the Lord hath heard thy 
prayer ; thou shalt conceive and 
bring forth, and thy progeny 
26 



shall be spoken of in all the 
world. 

2 And Anna answered, As 
the Lord my God liveth, what- 
ever I bring forth, whether it be 
male or female, I will devote it 
to the Lord my God, and it shall 
minister to him in holy things, 
during its whole life. 

3 And behold there appeared 
two angels, saying unto her, Be- 
hold Joachim thy husband is 
coming with his shepherds. 

4 For an angel of the Lord 
hath also come down to him, 
and said, The Lord God hath 
heard thy prayer, make haste 
and go hence, for behold Anna 
thy wife shall conceive. 

5 And Joachim went down 
and called his shepherds, saying 
Bring me hither ten she-lambs 
without spot or blemish, and 
they shall be for the Lord my 
God. 

6 And bring me twelve calves 
without blemish, and the twelve 
calves shall be for the priests 
and the elders. 

7 Bring me also a hundred 
goats, and the hundred goats 
shall be for the whole people. 

8 And Joachim went down 
with the shepherds, and Anna 
stood by the gate and saw Joa- 
chim coming with the shepherds. 

9 And she ran, and hanging 
about his neck, said, Now I 
know that the Lord hath greatly 
blessed me: 

10 For behold, I who was a 
widow am no longer a widow, 
and I who was barren shall con- 



ceive. 



CHAP. V. 



1 Joachim abides the first day in his 
house, but sacrifices on the morrow. 
2 consults the plate on the priest's 
forehead. 3 And is without sin. 6 
Anna brings forth a daughter, 9 
whom she calls Mary. 



Her dedication THE PROTEVANGELION. 



the temple. 



AND Joachim abode the first 
day in his house, but on 
the morrow he brought his of- 
ferings and said, 

2 If the Lord be propitious to 
me let the plate which is on the 
priest's forehead 1 make it ma- 
nifest. 

3 And he consulted the plate 
which the priest wore, and saw 
it, and behold sin was not found 
in him. 

4 And Joachim said, Now I 
know that the Lord is propitious 
to me, and hath taken away all 
my sins. 

5 And he went down from the 
temple of the Lord justified, and 
he went to his own house. 

6 And when nine months were 
fulfilled to Anna, she brought 
forth, and said to the midwife, 
What have I brought forth ? 

7 And she told her, a girl. 

8 Then Anna said, the Lord 
hath this day magnified my 
soul ; and she laid her in bed. 

9 And when the days of her 
purification were accomplished, 
she gave suck to the child, and 
called her name Mary. 

CHAP. VI. 

1 Mary at nine months old, walks nine 
steps, 3 Anna keeps her holy, 4 When 
she is a year old, Joachim makes a 
great feast. 7 Anna gives her the 
breast, and sings a song to the Lord. 

AND the child increased in 
strength every day, so that 
when she was nine months old, 
her mother put her upon the 
ground to try if she could stand ; 
and when she had walked nine 
steps, she came again to her mo- 
ther's lap. 

2 Then her mother caught 
her up, and said, As the Lord 
my God liveth, thou shalt not 



walk again on this earth till I 
bring thee into the temple of the 
Lord. 

3 Accordingly she made her 
chamber a holy place, and suf- 
fered nothing uncommon or un- 
clean to come near her, but in- 
vited certain undefiled daughters 
of Israel, and they drew " her 
aside. 

4 But when the child was a 
year old, Joachim made a great 
feast, and invited the priests, 
scribes, elders, and all the people 
of Israel ; 

5 And Joachim then made an 
offering of the girl to the chief 
priests, and they blessed her, 
saying, The God of our fathers 
bless this girl, and give her a 
name famous and lasting through 
all generations. And all the 
people replied, So be it, Amen. 

6 Then Joachim a second 
time offered her to the priests, 
and they blessed her, saying, O 
most high God, regard this girl, 
and bless her with an everlasting 
blessing. 

7 Upon this her mother took 
her up, and gave her the breast, 
and sung the following song to 
the Lord. 2 

8 I will sing a new song unto 
the Lord my God, for he hath 
visited me, and taken away from 
me the reproach of mine enemies, 
and hath given me the fruit of 
his righteousness, that it may 
now be told the sons of Reuben, 
that Anna gives suck. 

9 Then 'she put the child to 
rest in the room w T hich she had 
consecrated, and she went out 
and ministered unto them. 

10 And when the feast w T as 
ended, they went away rejoicing 
and praising the God of Israel. 



1 Such an instrument God had appointed the high-priest to wear for such 
discoveries. See Exod. xxviii 36, &c , and Spencer de Urim et Thummim. 



2 Compare 1 Sam. ii., &c, with Luke i. 46. 



27 



Joseph throws THE PROTEVANGELION. away Ids hatchet. 



chap. vil. 

3 Mary being three years old, Joachim 
causes certain virgins to light each a 
lump, and goes with her to the temple. 
5 The hign-priest places her on the 
third step of the altar, and she dances 
with her feet. 

BUT the girl grew, and when 
she was two years old, Joa- 
chim said to Anna, Let us lead 
her to the temple of the Lord, 
that we may perform our vow, 
which we have vowed unto the 
Lord God, lest he should be an- 
gry with us, and our offering be 
unacceptable. 

2 But Anna said, Let us wait 
the third year, lest she should 
be at a loss to know her father. 
And Joachim said, Let us then 
wait. 

3 And when the child was 
three years old, Joachim said, 
Let us invite the daughters of 
the Hebrews, who are undefiled, 
and let them take each a lamp, 
and let them be lighted, that the 
child may not turn back again, 
and her mind be set against the 
temple of the Lord. 

4 And they did thus till they 
ascended into the temple of the 
Lord, And the high-priest re- 
ceived her, and blessed her, and 
said, Mary, the Lord God hath 
magnified thy name to all gene- 
rations, and to the very end of 
time by thee will the Lord shew 
his redemption to the children 
of Israel. 

5 And he placed her upon the 
third step of the altar, and the 
Lord gave unto her grace, and 
she danced with her feet, and all 
the house of Israel loved her. 

CHAP. VIII. 

2 Mary fed in the temple by angels, 3 
when twelve years old the priests con- 
sult what to do with her. . 6 The 
angel of the Lord warns Zacharias 



to call together all the vndowers, each 
bringing a rod. 7 The people meet 
by sound of trumpet. 8 Joseph throws 
away his hatchet, and goes to the 
meeting, 11 a dove comes forth from 
his rod, and alights on his head. 12 
He is chosen to betroth the Virgin. 1 '5 
refuses because he is an old man, 15 
is compelled, 16 takes her home, 
and goes to mind his trade of building. 

A ND her parents went away 
J\. filled with wonder, and 
praising God, because the girl 
did not return back to them. 

2 But Mary continued in the 
temple as a dove educated there, 
and received her food from the 
hand of an angel. 

3 And when she was twelve 
years of age, the priests met in a 
council, and said, Behold, Mary 
is twelve years of age ; what shall 
we do with her, for fear lest the 
holy place of the Lord our God 
should be defiled ? 

4 Then replied the priests to 
Zacharias the high-priest, Do you 
stand at the altar of the Lord, 
and enter into the holy place, 
and make petitions concerning 
her, and whatsoever the Lord 
shall manifest unto you, that do. 

5 Then the high-priest entered 
into the Holy of Holies, and 
taking away with him the breast- 
plate of judgment 1 made prayers 
concerning her ; 

6 And behold the angel of the 
Lord came to him, and said, 
Zacharias, Zacharias, Go forth 
and call together all the widow- 
ers among the people, and let 
every one of them bring his rod, 
and he by whom the Lord shall 
shew a sign shall be the husband 
of Mary. 

7 And the criers went out 
through all Judaea, and the 
trumpet of the Lord sounded, 
and all the people ran and met 
together. 



28 



1 See Exoi. xxviii. 22, &c. 



Mary slot to THE PROTEVxlNGELION. spin the purple. 



8 If Joseph also, throwing 
away the hatchet, went out to 
meet them; and when they were 
met, they went to the high-priest, 
taking every man his rod. 

9 After the high-priest had 
received their rods, he went into 
the temple to pray ; 

10 And when he had finished 
his prayer, he took the rods, and 
went forth and distributed them, 
and there was no miracle attend- 
ed them. 

1 1 The last rod was taken by 
Joseph, and behold a dove pro- 
ceeded out of the rod, and flew 
upon the head of Joseph. 

12 And the high-priest said, 
Joseph, Thou art the person cho- 
sen to take the Virgin of the 
Lord, to keep her for him : 

13 But Joseph refused, say- 
ing, I am an old man, and have 
children, but she is young, and I 
fear lest I should appear ridicu- 
lous in Israel. 

14 Then the high-priest re- 
plied, Joseph, fear the Lord thy 
God, and remember how God 
dealt with Dathan, Korah, and 
Abiram, how the earth opened 
and swallowed them up, because 
of their contradiction. 

15 Now therefore, Joseph, fear 
God, lest the like things should 
happen in your family. 

16 Joseph then being afraid, 
took her unto his house, and Jo- 
seph said unto Mary, Behold, I 
have taken thee from the temple 
of the Lord, and now I will 
leave thee in my house ; I must 
go to mind my trade of building. 
The Lord be with thee. 

CHAP. IX. 

1 The priests desire a new veil for the 
temple, 3 seven virgins cast lots for 
making different parts of it, 4 the 
lot to spin the true purple falls to 



Mary,. 5 Zacharias, the high-priest, 
becomes dumb. 7 Mary takes a pot 
to draw water, and hears a voice, 8 
trembles and begins to work, 9 an 
angel appears, and salutes her, and 
tells her she shall conceive by the Holy 
Ghost, 17 she submits, 19 visits her 
cousin Elizabeth, whose child in her 
womb leaps. 

AND it came to pass, in a 
council of the priests, it 
was said, Let us make a new 
veil for the temple. 

2 And the high-priest said, 
Call together to me seven unde- 
filed virgins of the tribe of David. 

3 And the servants went and 
brought them into the temple of 
the Lord, and the high-priest 
said unto them Cast lots before 
me now, w T ho of you shall spin 
the golden thread, who the blue, 
who the scarlet, who the fine 
linen, and who the true purple. 

4 Then the high-priest knew 
Mary, that she was of the tribe 
of David; and he called her, 
and the true purple fell to her 
lot to spin, and she went away to 
her own house. 

5 But from that time Zacha- 
rias the high-priest became 
dumb, and Samuel was placed 
in his room till Zacharias spoke 
again. 

6 But Mary took the true 
purple, and did spin it. 

7 If And she took a pot, and 
went out to draw water, and 
heard a voice saying unto her, 
Hail thou who art full of grace, 1 
the Lord is with thee ; thou art 
blessed among women. 

8 And she looked round to the 
right and to the left (to see) 
whence that voice came, and then 
trembling went into her house, 
and laying down the water-pot 
she took the purple, and sat 
down in her seat to work it. 



1 Luke i. 28, &c. 



29 



Joseph's jealousy. THE PROTEVANGELION. Re is warned. 



9 And behold the angel of the 
l 1 Btood by her, and said, 

Fear not, Mary, for thou hast 
found favour in the eight of God ; 

10 Which when Aw heard, she 
reasoned with herself what that 
sort of salutation meant. 

11 And the angel said unto 
her, The Lord is with thee, and 
thou shalt conceive : 

12 To which she replied, ! 
What ! shall I conceive by the 
living God, and bring forth as 
all other women do ? 

13 But the angel returned j 
answer, Not so, O Mary, but the | 
Holy Ghost shall come upon ' 
thee, and the power of the Most 
High shall overshadow thee ; 

14 Wherefore that which shall 
be born of thee shall be holy, 
and shall be called the Son of 
the Living God, and thou shalt 
call his name Jesus ; for he shall 
save his people from their sins. 

15 And behold ; thy cousin 
Elizabeth, she also hath con- 
ceived a son in her old age. 

16 And this now is the sixth 
month with her, who was called 
barren ; for nothing is impossi- 
ble with God. 

17 And Mary said, Behold 
the handmaid of the Lord ; let 
it be unto me according to thy 
word. 

18 T And when she had | 
wrought her purple, she carried ' 
it to the high -priest, and the 
high-priest blessed her, saying, 
Mary, the Lord God hath mag- 
nified thy name, and thou shalt 
be blessed in all the ages of the 
world. 

19 Then Mary, filled with joy, 
went away to her cousin Eiiza- 
beth, and knocked at the door. 

20 Which when Elizabeth 
heard, she ran and opened to 
her, and blessed her, and said, I 
1 Luke ii 

30 



Whence is this to me, that the 
mother of my Lord should come 
unto me? 

21 For lo! as soon as the 
voice of thy salutation reached 
my ears, that which is in me 
leaped and blessed thee. 

22 But Mary, being ignorant 
of all those mys.terious things 
which the archangel Gabriel had 
spoken to her, lifted up her eyes 
to heaven, and said, Lord ! 
What am I, that all the genera- 
tions of the earth should call me 
blessed ? 

23 But perceiving herself daily 
to grow big, and being afraid, 
she went home, and hid herself 
from the children of Israel ; and 
was fourteen years old when all 
these things happened. 

CHAP. X. 

1 Joseph returns from building houses, 
finds the Virgin ^rown big, being six 
months 1 gone with child, 2 is jealous 
and troubled, 8 reproaches her, 10 
she affirms her innocence, 13 he leaves 
her, 16 determines to dismiss her pri- 
vately, 17 is warned in a dream that 
Mary is with child by the Holy Ghost, 
20 and glorifies God who hath shewn 
him such favour. 

AND when her sixth month 
was come, Joseph returned 
from his building houses abroad, 
which was his trade, and enter- 
ing into the house, found the 
Virgin grown big: 

2 Then smiting upon his face, 
he said, With what face can I 
look up to the Lord my God ? 
or, what shall I say concerning 
this young woman ? 

3 For I received her a Virgin 
out of the temple of the Lord 
my God, and have not preserved 
her such ! 

4 Who has thus deceived me? 
Who has committed this evil in 
my house, and seducing the Vir- 
gin from me, hath defiled her ? 
39, &c. 



Joseph and Manjs THE PROTEVANGELION. chastity proved. 



5 Is not the history of Adam 
exactly accomplished in me ? 

6 For in the very instant of 
his glory, the serpent came and 
found Eve alone, and seduced 
her. 

7 Just after the same manner 
it has happened to me. 

8 Then Joseph arising from 
the ground, called her, and said, 
O thou who hast been so much 
favoured by God, why hast thou 
done this? 

9 Why hast thou thus debased 
thy soul, who wast educated in 
the Holy of Holies, and received 
thy food from the hand of an- 
gels? 

10 But she, with a flood of 
tears, replied, I am innocent, 
and have known no man. 

11 Then said Joseph, How 
comes it to pass you are with 
child? 

12 Mary answered, As the 
Lord my God liveth, I know 
not by what means. 

13 T Then Joseph was . ex- 
ceedingly afraid, and went away 
from her, considering what he 
should do with her ; and he thus 
reasoned with himself: 1 

14 If I conceal her crime, I 
shall be found guilty by the law 
of the Lord ; 

15 And if I discover her to 
the children of Israel, I fear, 
lest she being with child by an 
angel, I shall be found to betray 
the life of an innocent person : 

16 What therefore shall I do? 
I will privately dismiss her. 

17 Then the night was come 
upon him, when behold an angel 
of the Lord appeared to him in 
a dream, and said, 

18 Be not afraid to take that 
young woman, for that which is 
within her is of the Holy Ghost; 



19 And she shall bring forth 
a son, and thou shalt call his 
name Jesus, for he shall save 
his people from their sins. 

20 Then Joseph arose from 
his sleep, and glorified the God 
of Israel, who had shown him 
such favour, and preserved the 
Virgin. 

CHAP. XL 

3 Annas visits Joseph, perceives the 
Virgin big with child, 4 informs the 
high prie4 that Joseph had privately 
married her. 8 Joseph and Mary 
brought to trial on the charge. 17 
Joseph drinks the water of the Lord 
as an ordeal, and receiving no harm, 
returns home. 

THEN came Annas the scribe, 
and said to Joseph, Where- 
fore have we not seen you since 
your return ? 

2 And Joseph replied, Because 
I wa,s weary after my journey, 
and rested the first day. 

3 But Annas turning about 
perceived the Virgin big with 
child. 

4 And went away to the 
priest, and told him, Joseph in 
whom you placed so much con- 
fidence, is guilty of a notorious 
crime, in that he hath defiled 
the Virgin whom he received 
out of the temple of the Lord, 
and hath privately married her, 
not discovering it to the children 
of Israel. 

5 Then said the priest, Hath 
Joseph done this? 

6 Annas replied, If you send 
any of your servants, you will 
find that she is with child. 

7 And the servants went, and 
found it as he said. 

8 Upon this both she and Jo- 
seph were brought to their trial, 
and the priest said unto her, 
Mary, what hast thou done ? 

9 Why hast thou debased thy 



See Matt. i. 18. 



31 



Mi trial THE PROTEVANGELION. and acquittal. 



soul, and forgot thy God, seeing 
thou wast brought up in the 
Holy of Holies, and didst receive 

thy t'o«>d from the hands of an- 
gels, and heardest their songs? 

10 Why hast thou done this ? 

11 To which with a flood of 
tears she answered, As the Lord 
niv God liveth, I am innocent 
in his sight, seeing I know no 
man. 

12 Then the priest said to 
Joseph, Why hast thou done 
this? 

13 And Joseph answered, As 
the Lord my God liveth, I have 
not been concerned with her. 

14 But the priest said, Lie 
not, but declare the truth ; thou 
hast privately married her, and 
not discovered it to the children 
of Israel, and humbled thyself 
under the mighty hand (of God), 
that thy seed might be blessed. 

15 And Joseph was silent. 

16 Then said the priest (to 
Joseph), You must restore to 
the temple of the Lord the 
Virgin which you took thence. 

17 But he wept bitterly, and 
the priest added, I will cause 
you both to drink the water of 
the Lord, 1 which is for trial, and 
so your iniquity shall be laid 
open before you. 

18 Then the priest took the 
water, and made Joseph drink, 
and sent him to a mountainous 
place. 

19 And he returned perfectly 
well, and all the people won- 
dered that his guilt was not dis- 
covered. 

20 So the priest said, Since 
the Lord hath not made your 
sins evident, neither do I con- 
demn you. 

21 So he sent them away. 

22 Then Joseph took Mary, 



32 



1 Num. v. 18. 



and went to his house, rejoicing 
and praising the God of Israel. 

CHAP. XII. 

1 A decree from Augustus for taxing 
the Jem. 5 Joseph puts Mary on an 
ass, to return to Bethlehem, 6 she 
looks sorrowful, 7 she laughs, 8 Joseph 
inquires the cause of each, 9 she tells 
him she sees two pwsons, one mourn- 
ing and the other rejoicing, 10 the 
delivery being near, he takes her from 
the ass, and places her in a cave. 

AND it came to pass, that 
there went forth a decree 1 
from the Emperor Augustus, 
that all the Jews should be 
taxed, who were of Bethlehem 
in Judsea: 

2 And Joseph said, I will 
take care that my children be 
taxed : but what shall I do with 
this young woman ? 

3 To have her taxed as my 
wife I am ashamed ; and if I 
tax her as my daughter, all 
Israel knows she is not my 
daughter. 

4 When the time of the Lord's 
appointment shall come, let him 
do as seems good to him. 

5 And he saddled the ass, and 
put her upon it, and Joseph and J 
Simon followed after her, and 
arrived at Bethlehem within 
three miles. 

6 Then Joseph turning about 
saw Mary sorrowful, and said 
within himself, Perhaps she is 
in pain through that which is 
within her. 

7 But when he turned about 
again he saw her laughing, and 
said to her, 

8 Mary, how happens it, that 
I sometimes see sorrow, and 
sometimes laughter and joy in 
thy countenance? 

9 And Mary replied to him, 
I see two people with mtyxe eyes, 

her j 
2 Luke ii. 1. 



/ 



• 



,'WK^j^NKCtC:^ 




THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. [Page 3*. 

FKOM A "BOOK OF THE EVANGELISTS." GREEK MANUSCRIPT OF THE TWELFTH CENTUKY 



Miracles at 



THE PROTEVANGELION Mary's labour. 



the one weeping and mourning, 
the other laughing and rejoicing. 

10 And he went again across 
the way, and Mary said to Jo- 
seph, Take me down from the ass, 
for that which is in me presses to 
come forth. 

11 But Joseph replied, Whi- 
ther shall I take thee ? for the 
place is desert. 

12 Then said Mary again to 
Joseph, take me down, for that 
which is within me mightily 
presses me. 

13 And Joseph took her down. 

14 And he found there a cave, 
and let her into it. 

CHAP. XIII. 

1 Joseph seeks a Hebrew midwife, 2 
perceives the fowls stopping in their 
flight, 3 the working people at their 
food not moving, 8 the sheep stand- 
ing still, 9 the shepherd fixed and 
immoveable, 10 and kids with their 
mouths touching the water but not 
drinking. 

AND leaving her and his sons 
in the cave, Joseph went 
forth to seek a. Hebrew midwife 
in the village of Bethlehem. 

2 But as I was going (said Jo- 
seph) I looked up into the air, 
and I saw the clouds astonished, 
and the fowls of the air stop- 
ping in the midst of their flight. 

3 And I looked down towards 
the earth, and saw a table 
spread, and working people sit- 
ting around it, but their hands 
were upon the table, and they 
did not move to eat. 

4 They who had meat in their 
mouths did not eat. 

5 They who lifted their hands 
up to their heads did not draw 
them back : 

6 And they who lifted them 
up to their mouths did not put 
anything in ; 

7 But all their faces were 
fixed umvards. 



8 And I beheld the sheep dis- 
persed, and yet the sheep stood 
still. 

9 And the shepherd lifted up 
his hand to smite them, and his 
hand continued up. 

10. And I looked unto a river, 
and saw the kids with their 
mouths close to the water, and 
touching it, but they did not 
drink. 

CHAP. XIV. 

1 Joseph finds a midwife. 10 A bright 
cloud overshadows the cave. 11 A 
great light in the cave, gradually in- 
creases until the infant is born. 13 
The midwife goes out, and tells 
Salome that she has seen a virgin 
bring forth. 17 Salome doubts it. 
20 her hand withers, 22 she suppli- 
cates the Lord, 28 is cured, 30 but 
warned not to declare what she had 
seen. 

THEN I beheld a woman com- 
ing down from the moun- 
tains, and she said to me, Where 
art thou going, O man ? 

2 And I said to her, I go to 
inquire for a Hebrew midwife. 

3 She replied to me, Where 
is the woman that is to be de- 
livered ? 

4 And I answered, In the 
cave, and she is betrothed to me. 

5 Then said the midwife, Is 
she not thy wife ? 

6 Joseph answered, It is Mary, 
who was educated in the Holy 
of Holies, in the house of the 
Lord, and she fell to my lot, 
and is not my wife, but has con- 
ceived by the Holy Ghost. 

7 The midwife said, Is this 
true? 

8 He answered, Come and 
see. 

9 And the midwife went 
along with him, and stood in the 
cave. 

10 Then a bright cloud over- 
shadowed the cave, and the mid- 
33 



Christ bom. THE PROTEVANGELION. Sdtome's unbelief. 



wife said, This day my soul is 
magnified, for mine eves have 
seen surprising things, and sal- 
vation is brought forth to Israel. 

11 But on a sudden the eloud 
became a great light in the cave, 
so that their eyes could not bear 
it. 

12 But the light gradually 
decreased, until the infant ap- 
peared, and sucked the breast of 
his mother Mary. 

13 Then the midwife cried 
out, and said, How glorious a 
day is this, wherein mine eyes 
have seen this extraordinary 
sight ! 

14 And the midwife went out 
from the cave, and Salome met 
her. 

15 And the midwife said to 
her, Salome, Salome, I will tell 
you a most surprising thing 
which I saw, 

16 A virgin hath brought 
forth, which is a thing contrary 
to nature. 

17 To which Salome replied, 
As the Lord my God liveth, un- 
less I -receive particular proof 
of this matter, I will not believe 
that a virgin hath brought forth. 

18 T Then Salome went in, 
and the midwife said, Mary, 
shew thyself, for a great contro- 
versy is risen concerning thee. 

19 And Salome received satis- 
faction. 

20 But her hand was with- 
ered, and she groaned bitterly. 

21 And said, Woe to me, be- 
cause of mine iniquity ; for I 
have tempted the living God, 
and my hand is ready to drop 
-off. 

22 Then Salome made her 
supplication to the Lord, and 
said, O God of my fathers, re- 
member me, for I am of the 



my 



seed of Abraham, and Isaac, 
and Jacob. 

23 Make me not a reproach 
among the children of Israel, 
but restore me sound to 
parents. 

24 For thou well knowest, O 
Lord, that I have performed 
many offices of charity in thy 
name, and have received my re- 
ward from thee. 

25 Upon this an angel of the 
Lord stood by Salome, and said, 
The Lord God hath heard thy 
prayer, reach forth thy hand to 
the child, and carry him, and by 
that means thou shalt be re- 
stored. 

26 Salome, filled with exceed- 
ing joy, went to the child, and 
said, I will touch him: 

27 And she pur])osed to wor- 
ship him, for she said, This is a 
great king which is born in Israel. 

28 And straightway Salome 
was cured. 

29 Then the midwife went 
out of the cave, being approved 
by God. 

30 And lo ! a voice came to 
Salome, Declare not the strange 
things which thou hast seen, till 
the child shall come to Jeru- 
salem. 

31 So Salome also departed, 
approved by God. 

CHAP. XV. 

1 Wise men come from the east. 3. He- 
rod alarmed ; 8 desires them if they 
find the child, to bring him word. 10 
They visit the cave, and offer the ch ild 
their treasure, 11 and being warned 
in a dream, do not return to Herod, 
but go home another way. 

THEN Joseph was preparing 
to go away, because there 
arose a great disorder in Bethle- 
hem by the coming of 1 some 
wise men from the east, 



34 



1 Matt. ii. 1, &c. 



The ivise men. THE PROTEVAB GELIOK Star in the East. 



2 Who said, Where is the 
king of the Jews boru ? For we 
have seen his star in the east, 
and are come to worship hirn. 

3 When Herod heard this, he 
was exceedingly troubled, and 
sent messengers to the wise men, 
and to the priests, and inquired 
of them in the town-hall, 

4 And said unto them, Where 
have you it written concerning 
Christ the king, or where should 
he be born ? 

5 Then they say unto him, In 
Bethlehem of Judaea; for thus 
it is written : And thou Bethle- 
hem in the land of Judah, art 
not the least among the princes 
of Judah, for out of thee shall 
come a ruler, who shall rule my 
people Israel. 

6 And having sent away the 
chief priests, he inquired of the 
wise men in the town-hall, and 
said unto them, What sign was 
it ye saw concerning the king 
that is born ? 

7 They answered him, We 
saw an extraordinary large star 
shining among the stars of hea- 
ven, and so out-shin ed all the 
other stars, as that they became 
not visible, and we knew thereby 
that a great king was born in 
Israel, and therefore we are 
come to worship him. 

8 Then said Herod to them, 
Go and make diligent inquiry ; 
and if ye find the child, bring 
me word again, that I may come 
and worship him also. 

9 So the wise men went forth, 
and behold, the star which they 
saw in the east went before 
them, till it came and stood over 
the cave where the young child 
was with Mary his mother. 

10 Then they brought forth 
out of their treasures, and offered 



unto him gold and frankincense, 
and myrrh. 

11 And being warned in a 
dream by an angel, that they 
should not return to Herod 
through Judaea, they departed 
into their own country by an- 
other way. 

CHAP. XYI. 

1 Herod enraged, orders the infants in 
Bethlehem to be slain. 2 Mary puts 
her infant in an ox manger. 3 Eli- 
zabeth flees with her son John to the 
mountains. 6 A mountain miracu- 
lously divides and receives them. 9 
Herod incensed at the escape of John, 
causes Zacharias to be murdered at 
the altar, 23 the roofs of the temple 
rent, the body miraculously conveyed, 
and the blood petrified. 25 Israel 
mourns for him. 27 Simeon chosen 
his successor by lot. 

THEN Herod 1 perceiving that 
he was mocked by the wise 
men, and being very angry, 
commanded certain men to go 
and to kill all the children that 
were in Bethlehem, from two 
years old and under. 

2 But Mary hearing that the 
children were to be killed, being 
under much fear, took the child, 
and wrapped him up in swad- 
dling clothes, and laid him in 
an ox-manger, 2 because there 
was no room for them in the inn. 

3 Elizabeth also, hearing that 
her son John was about to be 
searched for, took him and went 
up unto the mountains, and 
looked around for a place to 
hide him ; 

4 And there was no secret 
place to be found. 

5 Then she groaned within 
herself, and said, O mountain 
of the Lord, receive the mother 
with the child. 

6 For Elizabeth could not 
climb up. 



1 Matt. ii. 16. 2 Luke ii. 7 is alluded to, though misapplied as to time. 

35 



11 rod's cruelty. THE PROTEVANGELION. Zachs. murdered. 



7 And instantly the mountain 
was divided and received them. 

8 And there appeared to them 
an angel of the Lord, to pre- 
serve them. 

9 ^f But Herod made search 
after John, and sent servants to 
Zacharias, when he was (minis- 
tering) at the altar, and said 
unto him, Where hast thou hid 
thy son ? 

10 He replied to them, I am 
a minister of God, and a servant 
at the altar ; how should I know 
where my son is ? 

11 So the servants went back, 
and told Herod the whole ; at 
which he was incensed, and 
said, Is not this son of his like 
to be king in Israel ? 

12 He sent therefore again 
his servants to Zacharias, saying, 
Tell us the truth, where is thy 
son, for you know that your life 
is in my hand. 

13 So the servants went and 
told him all this : 

14 But Zacharias replied to 
them, I am a martyr for God, 
and if he shed my blood, the 
Lord will receive my soul. 

15 Besides know that ye shed 
innocent blood. 

16 However Zacharias was 
murdered in the entrance of the 
temple and altar, and about the 
partition ; 



17 But the children of Israel 
knew not when he was killed. 

18 T Then at the hour of sa- 
lutation the priests went into the 
temple, but Zacharias did not 
according to custom meet them 
and bless them ; 

19 Yet they still continued 
waiting for him to salute them ; 

20 And when they found he 
did not in a long time come, 
one of them ventured into the 
holy place where the altar was, 
and ho saw blood lying upon 
the ground congealed ; 

21 When, behold, a voice 
from heaven said, Zacharias is 
murdered, and his blood shall 
not be wiped away, until the 
revenger of his blood come. 

22 But when he heard this, 
he was afraid, and went forth 
and told the priests what he had 
seen and heard ; and they all 
went in, and saw the fact. 

23 Then the roofs of the tem- 
ple howled, and were rent from 
the top to the bottom : 

24 And they could not find 
the body, but only blood made 
hard like stone. 

25 And they went away, and 
told the people, that Zacharias 
was murdered, and all the tribes 
of Israel heard thereof, and 
mourned for him, and lamented 
three days. 1 



1 There is a story both in the Jerusalem and Babylonish Talmud very 
similar to this. It is cited by Dr. Lightfoot, Talmud, Hicrosol, in Taannith, 
fol. G9 ; and Talmud, Babyl. in Sanhedr., fol. 96. " Rabbi Jochanan said, 
Eighty thousand priests were slain for the blood of Zacharias. Eabbi 
Judas asked Rabbi Achan, Where did they kill Zacharias? Was it in the 
woman's court, or in the court of Israel ? He answered : Neither in the 
court of Israel, nor in the court of women, but in the court of the priests; 
and they did not treat his blood in the same manner as they were wont 
to treat the blood of a ram or a young goat. For of these it is written, 
He shall pour out his blood, and cover it with dust. But it is written 
here, The blood is in the midst of her : she set it upon the top of the rock ; 
she poured it not upon the ground. (Ezek. xxiv. 7.) But why was this? 
That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance: I have set his 
blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered. They com- 
mitted seven evils that day : they murdered a priest, a prophet, and a 
36 



Simeon succeeds THE PROTEVANGELION. 



Zacharias. 



26 Then the priests took 
counsel together concerning a 
person to succeed him. 

27 And Simeon and the other 
priests cast lots, and the lot fell 
upon Simeon. 

28 For he had been assured 
by the Holy Spirit, that he 
should not die, till he had seen 
Christ come in the flesh. 1 



1[ I James wrote this History in Je- 
rusalem : and when the disturbance was 
I retired into a desert place, until the 
death of Herod. And the disturbance 
ceased at Jerusalem. That which re- 
mains is, that I glorify God that he hath 
given me such wisdom to write unto you 
who are spiritual, and who love God: 
to whom (be ascribed) glory and domi- 
nion for ever and ever, Amen. 



king; they shed the blood of the innocent: they polluted the couft : that 
day was the Sabbath: and the day of expiation. When therefore Nebuzara- 
dan came there (viz. Jerusalem), he saw his blood bubbling, and said to 
them, What meaneth this ? They answered, It is the blood of calves, lambs, 
and rams, which we have offered upon the altar. He commanded then, that 
they should bring calves, and lambs, and rams, and said I will try whether 
this be their blood : accordingly they brought and slew them, but the blood 
of (Zacharias) still bubbled, but the blood of these did not bubble. Then he 
said, Declare to me the truth of the matter, or else I will comb your flesh 
with iron combs. Then said they to him, He was a priest, prophet, and 
judge, who prophesied to Israel all these calamities which we have suffered 
from you ; but we arose against him, and slew him. Then, said he, I will ap- 
pease him : then he took the rabbins and slew them upon his (viz. Zacharias's) 
blood, and he was not yet appeased. Next he took the young boys from the 
schools, and slew them upon his blood, and yet it bubbled. Then he brought 
the young priests and slew them in the same place, and yet it still bubbled. 
So he slew at length ninety-four thousand persons upon his blood, and it did 
not as yet cease bubbling. Then he drew near to it, and said, O Zacharias, 
Zacharias, thou hast occasioned the death of the chief of thy countrymen j 
shall I slay them all ? then the blood ceased, and did bubble no more." 
x Luke i*i. 26. 



37 



The first Gospel of the INFANCY of JESUS CHRIST. 

[Mr. Henry Sike, Professor of Oriental Languages at Cambridge, first trans- 
lated and published this Gospel in 1697. It was received by the Gnostics, 
a sect of Christians in the second century, and several of its relations were 
credited in the following ages by other Christians, viz., Eusebius, Athana- 
sius, Bpiphanius, Chrysostom, &C. Sozomen says, he was *ola by many, 
and he credits the relations, of t lie idols in Egypt failing down on .Joseph, 
and Mary's Uight thither with Christ ; and of Christ making a well to wash 
his clothes in a sycamore tree, from whence balsam afterwards proceeded. 
These stories are from this Gospel. Chemnitlue. out of Stipulensis, who 
had it from Peter Martyr, Bishop of Alexandria, in the third century, says, 
that tlie place in Egypt where Christ was banished is now called Matarea, 
about ten miles beyond Cairo ; that the inhabitants constantly burn a lamp 
in remembrance of it; and that there is a garden of trees yielding a bal- 
sam, which were planted by Christ when a boy. M. La Crosse cites a 
synod at Angamala, in the mountains of Malabar, a.d. 1599, which con- 
demns this Gospel as commonly read by the Nestorians in that country. 
Ahmed Ibu Idris, a Mahometan divine, says, it was used by some Chris- 
tians in common with the other four Gospels; and Ocobius de Castro men- 
tions a Gospel of Thomas, which he says, he saw and had translated to 
him by an Armenian Archbishop at Amsterdam, that was read in very 
many churches of Asia and Africa, as the only rule of their faith. Fabri- 
cius takes it to be this Gospel. It has been supposed, that Mahomet and 
his coadjutors used it in compiling the Koran. There are several stories 
believed of Christ proceeding from this Gospel ; as that which Mr. Sike 
relates out of La Brosse's Persic Lexicon, that Christ practised the trade 
of a dyer, and his working a miracle with the colours ; from whence the 
Persian dyers honour him as their patron, and call a dye-house the shop 
of Christ. Sir John Chardin mentions Persian legends concerning 
Christ's dispute with his schoolmaster about his A B C; and his lengthen- 
ing the cedar-board which Joseph sawed too short.] 



CHAP. I. 

1 Caiaphas relates, that Jesus when in 
his cradle, informed Ids mother, that 
he was the Son of God. 5 Joseph and 
Mary going to Bethlehem to be taxed, 
diary's time of bringing forth arrives, 
and she goes into a cave. 8 Joseph 
fetches in a Hebrew woman, the cave 
filled with great lights. 11 The in- 
fant born, 17 cures the woman, 19 
arrival of the shepherds. 

rpiiE following accounts we 
JL . found in the book of Jo- 
seph the high-priest, called by- 
some Caiaphas : 

2 He relates, that Jesus spake 
even when he was in the cradle, 
and said to his mother : 

3 Mary, I am Jesus the Son of 
God, that word which thou didst 
bring forth according to the de- 
claration of the angel Gabriel to 

thee, and my father hath sent me wife ; and when he saw an old 
for the salvation of the world. I Hebrew woman who was of Jeru- 

38 



4 Tf In the three hundred and 
ninth year of the sera of Alexan- 
der, Augustus published a decree 
that all persons should go to be 
taxed in their own country. 

5 Joseph therefore arose, and 
with Mary his spouse he went to 
Jerusalem, and then came to 
Bethlehem, that he and his 
family might be taxed in the 
city of his fathers. 

6 And when they came by the 
cave, Mary confessed to Joseph 
that her time of bringing forth 
was come, and she could not go 
on to the city, and said, Let us 
go into this cave. 

7 At that time the sun was 
very near going down. 

8 But Joseph hastened away, 
that he might fetch her a mid- 



I 



ing 







f the 

'isliop 



An Idol falls, Christ's I. INFANCY, swaddling cloth heals a boy. 



The idols fall down.' 15 Mary washes 
Christ's swaddling clothes, and hangs 
them to dry on a post. 16 A son of 
the chief priest pats one on his head, 
and being possessed of devils, they 
leave him. 

"VTOW Herod, perceiving that 
1_N the wise men did delay, 
and not return to him, called 
together the priests and wise men 
and said, Tell me in what place 
the Christ should be born ? 

2 And when they replied, in 
Bethlehem, a city of Judaea, he 
began to contrive in his own 
mind the death of the Lard 
Jesus Christ. 

3 But an angel of the Lord 
appeared to Joseph in his sleep, 
and said, Arise, take the child 
and his mother, and go into 
Egypt as soon as the cock crows. 
So he arose, and went. 

4 If And as he was consider- 
ing with himself about his jour- 
ney, the morning came upon 
him. 

5 In the length of the journey 
the girts of the saddle broke. 

6 And now he drew near to 
a great city, in which there was 
an idol, to which the other idols 
and gods of Egypt brought their 
offerings and vows. 

7 And there was by this idol 
a priest ministering to it, who, 
as often as Satan spoke out of 
that idol, related the things he 
said to the inhabitants of Egypt, 
and those countries. 

8 This priest had a son three 
years old, who was possessed 
with a great multitude of devils, 
who uttered many strange things, 
and when the devils seized him, 
walked about naked with his 
clothes torn, throwing stones at 
those whom he saw. 

9 Near to that idol was the 
inn of the city, into which when 
Joseph and St. Mary were come, 



and had turned into that inn, 
all the inhabitants of the city 
were astonished. 

10 And all the magistrates 
and priests of the idols assem- 
bled before that idol, and made 
inquiry there, saying, What 
means all this consternation, 
and dread, which has fallen 
upon all our country ? 

11 The idol answered them, 
The unknown God is come 
hither, who is truly God; nor 
is there any one besides him, 
who is worthy of divine wor- 
ship ; for he is truly the Son of 
God. 

12 At the fame of him this 
country trembled, and at his 
coming it is under the present 
commotion and consternation ; 
and we ourselves are affrighted 
by the greatness of his power. 

13 And at the same instant 
this idol fell down, and at his 
fall all the inhabitants of Egypt, 
besides others, ran together. 

14 T But the son of the priest, 
when his usual disorder came 
upon him, going into the inn, 
found there Joseph and St. 
Mary, whom all the rest had 
left behind and forsook. 

15 And when the Lady St. 
Mary had washed the swaddling 
clothes of the Lord Christ, and 
hanged them out to dry upon a 
post, the boy possessed with the 
devil took down one of them, 
and put it upon his head. 

16 And presently the devils 
began to come out of his mouth, 
and fly away in the shape of 
crows and serpents. 

17 From that time the boy 
was healed by the power of the 
Lord Christ, and he began to 
sing praises, and give thanks to 
the Lord who had healed him. 

18 When his father saw him 
restored to his former state of 



Flight into Egypt. 



I. INFANCY. 



M'Wij cures a woman* 



health, he said, My son, what 
has happened to thee, and by 
what means wert thou cured ? 

1!) The son answered, When 
the devils seized me, I went into 
the inn, and there found a very 
handsome woman with a boy, 
whose swaddling clothes she had 
just before washed, and hanged 
out upon a post. 

20 One of these I took, and 
put it upon my head, and imme- 
diately the devils left me, and 
fled away. 

21 At this the father exceed- 
ingly rejoiced, and said, My son, 
perhaps this boy is the son of the 
living God, who made the hea- 
vens and the earth. 

22 For as soon as he came 
amongst us, the idol was broken, 
and all the gods fell down, and 
were destroyed by a greater 
power. 

23 Then was fulfilled the pro- 
phecy which saith, Out of Egypt 
I have called my son. 

CHAP. V. 

1 Joseph and Mary leave Egypt. 3 
Go to the haunts of robbers, 4 Who, 
hearing a mighty noise as of a great 
army, flee away. 

1VTOW Joseph and Mary, when 
JLi they heard that the idol 
was fallen down and destroyed, 
were seized with fear and tremb- 
ling, and said, When we were 
in the land of Israel, Herod, in- 
tending to kill Jesus, slew for 
that purpose all the infants at 
Bethlehem, and that neighbour- 
hood. 

2 And there is no doubt but 
the Egyptians if they come to 
hear that this idol is broken and 
fallen down, will burn us with 
fire. 

3 They went therefore hence 
to the secret places of robbers, 
who robbed travellers as they 
pass by, of their carriages and 

"42 



their clothes, and carried them 
away bound. 

4 These thieves upon their 
coming heard a great noise, such 
as the noise of a king with a 
great army and many horses, 
and the trumpets sounding at 
his departure from his own city; 
at which they were so affrighted 
as to leave all their booty be- 
hind them, and fly away in haste. 

5 Upon this the prisoners 
arose, and loosed each other's 
bonds, and taking each man his 
bags, they went away, and saw 
Joseph and Mary coming to- 
wards them, and inquired, Where 
is that king, the noise of whose 
approach the robbers heard, and 
lelt us, so that we are now come 
off safe? 

6 Joseph answered, He will 
come after us. 

CHAP. VI. 

1 Mary looks on a woman in whom 
Satan had taken up his abode, and 
she becomes dispossessed. 5 Christ 
kissed by a bride made dumb by sor- 
cerers, cures her, 11 miraculously cures 
a gentlewoman in whom Satan had 
taken up his abode. 16 A hprous 
girl cured by the water in which he 
was washed, and becomes the servant 
of Mary and Joseph. 20 The hp- 
rous son of a prince's wife cured in 
like manner. 37 His mother offers 
large gifts to Mary, and dismisses her. 

THEN they went into another 
city where there was a 
woman possessed with a devil, 
and in whom Satan, that cursed 
rebel, had taken up his abode. 

2 One night, when she went 
to fetch water, she could neither 
endure her clothes on, nor to be 
in any house ; but as often as 
they tied her with chains or 
cords, she brake them, and went 
out into desert places, and some- 
times standing where roads 
crossed, and in churchyards, 
would throw stones at men. 



Christ cures a dumb bride, I. INFANCY. 



r Flic possessed woman, 



3 When St. Mary saw this wo- 
man, she pitied her ; whereupon 
Satan presently left her, and fled 
away in the form of a young 
man, saying, Wo to me, because 
of thee, Mary, and thy son. 

4 So the woman was delivered 
from her torment; but consid- 
ering herself naked, she blushed, 
and avoided seeing any man, and 
having put on her clothes, went 
home, and gave an account of 
her case to her father and rela- 
tions, who, as they were the best 
of the city, entertained St. Mary 
and Joseph with the greatest re- 
spect. 

5 The next morning having 
received a sufficient supply of 
provisions for the road, they 
went from them, and about the 
evening of the day arrived at 
another town, where a marriage 
was then about to be solemnized ; 
but by the arts of Satan and the 
practices of sofne sorcerers, the 
bride was become so dumb, that 
she could not so much as open 
her mouth. 

6 But when this dumb bride 
saw the Lady St. Mary entering 
into the town, and carrying the 
Lord Christ in her arms, she 
stretched out her hands to the 
Lord Christ, and took him in her 
arm?, and closely hugging him, 
very often kissed him, continu- 
ally moving him and pressing 
him to her body. 

7 Straightway the string of 
her tongue was loosed, and her 
ears were opened, and she began 
to sing praises unto God, who 
had restored her. 

8 So there was great joy 
among the inhabitants of the 
town that night, who thought 
that G)d and his angels were 
come down among them. 

9 f In this place they abode 
three days, meeting with the 



greatest respect and most splen- 
did entertainment. 

10 And being then furnished 
by the people with provisions for 
the road, they departed and went 
to another city, in which they 
were inclined to lodge, because 
it was a famous place. 

11 There was in this city a 
gentlewoman, who, as she went 

| down one day to the river to 
bathe, behold cursed Satan leaped 
upon her in the form of a serpent, 

12 And folded himself about 
her belly, and every night lay 
upon her. 

13 This woman seeing the 
Lady St. Mary, and the Lord 
Christ the infant in her bosom, 
asked the Lady St. Mary, that 
she would give her the child to 
kiss, and carry in her arms. 

14 When she had consented, 
and as soon as the woman had 
moved the child, Satan left her, 
and fled away, nor did the wo- 
man ever afterwards see him. 

15 Hereupon all the neigh- 
bours praised the Supreme God, 
and the woman rewarded them 
with ample beneficence. 

16 On the morrow the same 
woman brought perfumed water 
to wash the Lord Jesus ; and 
when she had washed him, she 
preserved the water. 

17 And there was a girl there, 
whose body was white with a 
leprosy, who being sprinkled with 
this water, and washed, w r as in- 
stantly cleansed from her le- 
prosy. 

18 The people therefore said 
Without doubt Joseph and 
Mary, and that boy are Gods, 
for they do not look like mortals. 

19 And when they were mak- 
ing ready to go away, the girl, 
who had been troubled with the 
leprosy, came and desired they 
would permit her to go along 

43 



two leprous persons, and I. INFANCY a newly married man. 



with them ; so they consented, 
and the girl went with them till 
they came to a city, in which 
was the palace of a great king, 

and whose house was nut far from 
the inn. 

20 Here they staid, and when 
the girl went one day to the 
prince's wife, and found her in a 
sorrowful and mournful condi- 
tion, she asked her the reason of 
her tears. 

21 She replied, Wonder not 
at my groans, for I am under a 
great misfortune, of which I dare 
not tell any one. 

22 But, says the girl, if you 
will entrust me with your jDrivate 
grievance, perhaps I may find 
you a remedy for it. 

23 Thou, therefore, says the 
prince's wife, shalt keep the se- 
cret, and not discover it to any 
one alive ! 

24 I have been married to this 
prince, who rules as king over 
large dominions, and lived long 
with him, before he had any 
child by me. 

25 At length I conceived by 
him, but alas ! I brought forth a 
leprous son ; which, when he saw, 
he would not own to be his, but 
said to me, 

26 Either do thou kill him, or 
send him to some nurse in such 
a place, that he may be never 
heard of; and now take care of 
yourself; I will never see you 
more. 

27 So here I pine, lamenting 
my wretched and miserable cir- 
cumstances. Alas, my son ! alas, 
my husband ! Have I disclosed 
it to you ? 

28 The girl replied, I have 
found a remedy for your disease, 
which I promise you, for I also 
was leprous, but God hath cleans- 
ed me, even he who is called 
Jesus, the son of the Lady Mary. 

44 



29 The woman inquiring 
where that God was, whom she 
spake of, the girl answered llo 
lodges with you here in the same 
house. 

30 But how can this be ? says 
she ; where is he ? Behold, re- 
plied the girl, Joseph and Mary ; 
and the infant who is with them 
is called Jesus : and it is he who 
delivered me from my disease 
and torment. 

31 But by what means, says 
she, w r ere you cleansed from your 
leprosy ? Will you not tell me 
that? 

32 Why not? says the girl ; I 
took the water with which his 
body had been washed, and 
poured it upon me, and my le- 
prosy vanished. 

33 The prince's wife then 
arose and entertained them, pro- 
viding a great feast for Joseph 
among a large company of men. 

34 And the next day took 
perfumed water to wash the 
Lord Jesus, and afterwards 
poured the same water upon her 
son, whom she had brought with 
her, and her son was instantly 
cleansed from his leprosy. 

35 Then she sang thanks and 
praises unto God, and said, 
Blessed is the mother that bare 
thee, O Jesus ! 

36 Dost thou thus cure men 
of the same nature with thyself, 
with the water with which thy 
body is w r ashed ? 

37 She then offered very large 
gifts to the Lady Mary, and sent 
her away with all imaginable re- 
spect. 

CHAP. VII. 

1 A man who could not enjoy his wife, 
freed from his disorder. 5 A young 
man who had been bewitched, and 
turned into a mule, miraculously cured 
by Christ being put on his back. 28 
and is married to the girl who had 
been cured of leprosy. 



") 



A bewitched young man INFANCY. restored to his shape. 



THEY came afterwards to 
another city, and had a 
mind to lodge there. 

2 Accordingly they went to a 
man's house, who was newly 
married, but by the influence of 
sorcerers could not enjoy his 
wife: 

3 But they lodging at his 
house that night, the man was 
freed of his disorder : 

4 And when they were pre- 
paring early in the morning to 
go forward on their journey, the 
new married person hindered 
them, and provided a noble en- 
tertainment for them ? 

5 But going forward on the 
morrow, they came to another 
city, and saw three women going 
from a certain grave with great 
weeping. 

6 When St. Mary saw them, 
she spake to the girl who was 
their companion, saying, Go and 
inquire of them, what is the 
matter with them, and what mis- 
fortune has befallen them ? 

7 When the girl asked them, 
they made her no answer, but 
asked her again, Who are ye, 
and where are ye going? For 
the day is far spent, and the 
night is at hand. 

8 We are travellers, saith the 
girl, and are seeking for an inn 
to lodge at. 

9 They replied, Go along with 
us, and lodge with us. 

10 They then followed them, 
and were introduced into a new 
house, well furnished with all 
sorts of furniture. 

11 It was now winter-time, 
and the girl went into the par- 
lour where these women were, 
and found them weeping and 
lamenting, as before. 

12 By them stood a mule, 
covered over with silk, and an 
ebony collar hanging down from 



his neck, whom they kissed, and 
were feeding. 

13 But when the girl said, 
How handsome, ladies, that mule 
is ! they replied with tears, and 
said, This mule, which you see, 
was our brother, born of this 
same mother as we : 

14 For when our father died, 
and left us a very large estate, 
and we had only this brother, 
and we endeavoured to procure 
him a suitable match, and 
thought he should be married as 
other men, some giddy and jeal- 
ous woman bewitched him with- 
out our knowledge. 

15 And we, one night, a little 
before day, while the doors of 
the house were all fast shut, saw 
this our brother was changed in- 
to a mule, such as you now see 
him to be : 

16 And we, in the melancholy 
condition in which you see us, 
having no father to comfort us, 
have applied to all the wise 
men, magicians, and diviners in 
the world, but they have been of 
no service to us. 

17 As often therefore as we 
find ourselves oppressed with 
grief, we rise and go with this 
our mother to our father's tomb, 
where, when we have cried suf- 
ficiently we return home. 

18 When the girl had heard 
this, she said, Take courage, and 
cease your fears, for you have a 
remedy for your afflictions near 
at hand, even among you and in 
the midst of your house, 

19 For I was also leprous ; 
but when I saw this woman, and 
this little infant with her, whose 
name is Jesus, I sprinkled my 
body with the water with which 
his mother had washed him, and 
I was presently made well. 

20 And I am certain that he 
is also capable of relieving you 

45 



.1 bewitched young man I. INFANCY. tored and married. 



under your distress. Wherefore, 

arise, go to my mistress, Mary, 
and when you have brought her 
into your own parlour, disclose 
to her the secret, at the same 
time, earnestly beseeching her to 
compassionate your cas 

21 As soon as the women had 
heard the girl's discourse, they 
hastened away to the Lady St. 
Mary, introduced themselves to 
her, and sitting down before her, 
they wept. 

22 And said, O our Lady St. 
Mary, pity your handmaids, for 
we have no head of our family, 
no one older than us ; no father, 
or brother to go in and out be- 
fore us. 

23 But this mule, which you 
see, was our brother, which some 
woman by witchcraft have 
brought into this condition which 
you see : we therefore entreat 
you to compassionate us. 

24 Hereupon St. Mary was 
grieved at their case, and taking 
the Lord Jesus, put him upon 
the back of the mule. 

25 And said to her son, O 
Jesus Christ, restore (or heal) 
according to thy extraordinary 
power this mule, and grant him 
to have again the shape of a 
man and a rational creature, as 
he had formerly. 

26 This was scarce said by the 
Lady St. Mary, but the mule 
immediately passed into a hu- 
man form, and became a young 
man without any deformity. 

27 Then he and his mother 
and the sisters worshipped the 
Lady St. Mary, and lifting the 
child upon their heads, they 
kissed him, and said, Blessed is 
thy mother, Jesus, O Saviour 
of the world ! Blessed are the 
eves which are so happy as to 
see thee. 

28 Then both the sisters told 

46 



their mother, saying, Of a truth 
our brother is restored to his for- 
mer shape by the he!]) of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, and the kind- 
ness of that girl, who told us of 
Mary and her son. 

2 ( J And inasmuch as our bro- 
ther is unmarried, it is lit that 
we marry him to this girl their 
servant. 

30 When they had consulted 
Mary in this matter, and she had 
given her consent, they made a 
splendid wedding for this girl. 

31 And so their sorrow being 
turned into gladness, and their 
mourning into mirth, they began 
to rejoice, and to make merry, 
and sing, being dressed in their 
richest attire, with bracelets. 

32 Afterwards they glorified 
and praised God, saying, O 
Jesus son of David who changest 
sorrow into gladness, and mourn- 
ing into mirth ! 

33 After this Joseph and Mary 
tarried there ten days, then went 
away, having received great re- 
spect from those people ; 

34 Who., when they took their 
leave of them, and returned 
home, cried, 

35 But especially the girl. 

CHAP. VIII. 

1 Joseph and Mary pass through a 
country infested by robbers, 3 Titus, 
a humane thief, offers Dumachus, his 
comrade, forty groats to let Joseph and 
Mary pass unmolested. 6 Jesus pro- 
phesies that the thieves, Dumachus mid 
Titus, shall be crucified with him, and 
that Titus shall go before him into 
Paradise. 10 Christ causes a well to 
spring from a sycamore tree, and 
Mary washes his coat in it. 11 A 
balsam grows there from his sweat. 
They go to Memphis, where Christ 
works more miracles. Return to Jn- 
drea. 15 being learned , depart for 
Nazareth. 



N their journey from hence 
they came into a desert coun- 



i 



The two thieves. 



I. INFANCY. 



The sick healed. 



try, and were told it was infested 
with robbers ; so Joseph and St. 
Mary prepared to pass through 
it in the night. 

2 And as they were going 
along, behold they saw two rob- 
bers asleep in the road, and with 
them a great number of robbers, 
who were their confederates, also 
asleep. 

3 The names of these two were 
Titus and Dumachus ; and Titus 
said to Dumachus, I beseech thee 
let those persons go along quietly, 
that our company may not per- 
ceive anything of them : 

4 But Dumachus refusing, Ti- 
tus again said, I will give thee 
forty groats, and as a pledge take 
my girdle, w T hich he gave him 
before he had done speaking, 
that he might not open his 
mouth, or make a noise. 

5 When the Lady St. Mary 
saw the kindness which this rob- 
ber did shew them, she said to 
him, The Lord God will receive 
thee to his right hand, and grant 
thee pardon of thy sins. 

"6 Then the Lord Jesus an- 
swered, and said to his mother, 
When thirty years are expired, 
O mother, the Jews will crucify 
me at Jerusalem ; 

7 And these two thieves shall 
be with me at the same time upon 
the cross, Titus on my right hand, 
and Dumachus on my left, and 
from that time Titus shall go be- 
fore me into paradise : 

8 And when she had said, God 
forbid this should be thy lot, O 
my son, they went on to a city 
in which were several idols; 
which, as soon as they came 
near to it, was turned into hills 
of sand. 

9 *j[ Hence they went to that 
sycamore tree, which is now 
called Matarea ; 

10 And in Matarea the Lord 



Jesus caused a well to spring 
forth, in which St. Mary washed 
his coat ; 

11 And a balsam is produced, 
or grows, in that country from 
the sweat which ran down there 
from the Lord Jesus. 

12 Thence they proceeded to 
Memphis, and saw Pharaoh, and 
abode three years in Egypt. 

13 And the Lord Jesus did 
very many miracles in Egypt, 
which are neither to be found in 
the Gospel of the Infancy nor in 
the Gospel of Perfection. 

14 If At the end of three years 
he returned out of Egypt, and 
when he came near to Judaea, 
Joseph was afraid to enter ; 

15 For hearing that Herod 
was dead, and that Archelaus 
his son reigned in his stead, he 
was afraid ; 

16 And when he went to Ju- 
daea, an angel of God appeared 
to him, and said, O Joseph, go 
into the city Nazareth, and abide 
there. 

17 It is strange indeed that he, 
who is the Lord of all countries, 
should be thus carried backward 
and forward through so many 
countries. 

CHAP. IX. 

2 Two sick children cured by water 
wherein Christ was washed. 

WHEN they came afterwards 
into the city Bethlehem, 
they found there several very 
desperate distempers, which be- 
came so troublesome to children 
by seeing them, that most of them 
died. 

2 There was there a woman 
who had a sick son, whom she 
brought, when he was at the 
point of death, to the Lady St. 
Mary, who saw her when she 
was washing Jesus Christ. 

3 Then said the woman, my 

47 



Christ's water cures. 



I. INFANCY. Caleb's miraculous cures. 



Lady Mary, look down upon this 
my son, who is afflicted with most 
dreadful pains. 

4. St. Mary hearing her, said, 
Take a little of that water with 
which I have washed my son, and 
sprinkle it upon him. 

5 Then she took a little of that 
water, as St. Mary had com- 
manded, and sprinkled it upon 
her son, who being wearied with 
his violent pains, had fallen 
asleep ; and after he had slept a 
little, awaked perfectly well and 
recovered. 

6 The mother being abundant- 
ly glad of this success, went again 
to St. Mary, and St. Mary said 
to her, Give praise to God, who 
hath cured this thy son. 

7 There was in the same place 
another woman, a neighbour of 
her, whose son was now cured. 

8 This woman's son was af- 
flicted with the same disease, and 
his eyes were now almost quite 
shut, and she was lamenting for 
him day and night. 

9 The mother of the child 
which was cured, said to her, 
Why do you not bring your son 
to St. Mary, as I brought my son 
to her, when he was in the agonies 
of death ; and he was cured by 
that water, with which the body 
of her son Jesus was washed ? 

10 When the woman heard 
her say this, she also went, and 
having procured the same water, 
washed her son with it, where- 
upon his body and his eyes were 
instantly restored to their former 
state. 

11 And when she brought her 
son to St. Mary, and opened his 
case to her, she commanded her 
to give thanks to God for the 
recovery of her son's health, and 
tell no one what had happened. 

48 



CHAP. X. 

1 Two wives of one man, each have a 
8onsick. 2 One of them, named Mary, 
and whose son's name was Caleb, 
presents the Virgin with a handsome 
carpet, and Caleb is cured; but the 
son of the other wife dies, 4 which oc- 
casions a difference between the women. 
5 The other wife puts Caleb into a hot 
oven, and he is miraculously preserved ; 
9 she afterwards throws him into a 
well, and he is again preserved ; 1 1 his 
mother appeals to the Virgin against 
the other wife, 12, whose downfall the 
Virgin prophesies, 18 and who accord- 
ingly falls into the well, 14 therein ful- 
filling a saying of old. 

THERE were in the same city 
two wives of one man, who 
had each a son sick. One of 
them was called Mary and her 
son's name was Caleb. 

2 She arose, and taking her 
son, went to the Lady St. Mary, 
the mother of Jesus, and offered 
her a very handsome carpet, say- 
ing, O my Lady Mary accept this 
carpet of me, and instead of it 
give me a small swaddling cloth. 

3 To this Mary agreed, and 
when the mother of Caleb was 
gone, she made a coat for her 
son of the swaddling cloth, put 
it on him, and his disease was 
cured ; but the son of the other 
wife died. 

4 If Hereupon there arose be- 
tween them, a difference in doing 
the business of the family by 
turns, each her week. 

5 And when the turn of Mary 
the mother of Caleb came, and 
she was heating the oven to bake 
bread, and went away to fetch 
the meal, she left her son Caleb 
by the oven ; 

6 Whom, the other wife, her 
rival, seeing to be by himself, 
took and cast him into the oven, 
which was very hot, and then 
went away. 

7 Mary on her return saw her 
son Caleb lying in the middle of 



V»< It Hi H ctCTDVljp$;- 




THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. U'ugeS5. 

FROM A "BOOK OF THE EVANGELISTS." GREEK MANUSCRIPT OF THE TWELFTH CENTCKY 



Caleb's life twice saved. I. INFANCY. Infant Bartholomew cured. 



the oven laughing, and the oven 
quite as cold as though it had 
not been before heated, and knew 
that her rival the other wife had 
thrown him into the fire. 

8 When she took him out, 
she brought him to the Lady St. 
Mary, and told her the story, 
to whom she replied, Be quiet, I 
am concerned lest thou shouldest 
make this matter known. 

9 After this her rival, the 
other wife, as she was drawing 
water at the well, and saw Caleb 
playing by the well, and that 
no one was near, took him, and 
threw him into the well. 

10 And when some men came 
to fetch water from the well, 
they saw the boy sitting on the 
superficies of the water, and 
drew him out with ropes, and 
were exceedingly surprised at 
the child, and praised God. 

1 1 Then came the mother and 
took him and carried him to the 
Lady St. Mary, lamenting and 
saying, O my Lady, see what my 
rival hath done to my son, and 
how she hath cast him into the 
well, and I do not question but 
one time or other she will be the 
occasion of his death. 

12 St. Mary replied to her, 
God will vindicate your injured 
cause. 

13 Accordingly a few days 
after, when the other wife came 
to the well to draw water, her 
foot was entangled in the rope, so 
•that she fell headlong into the 
well, and they who ran to her as- 
sistance, found her skull broken, 
and bones bruised. 

14 So she came to a bad end, 
and in her was fulfilled that say- 
ing of the author, They digged a 
well, and made it deep, but fell 
themselves into the pit which 
they prepared. 



4 



CHAP. XL 

1 Bartholomew, when a child and sick, 
miraculously restored by being laid on 
Christ's bed. 

ANOTHER woman in that 
city had likewise two sons 
sick. 

2 And when one was dead, 
the other, who lay at the point 
of death, she took in her arms 
to the Lady St. Mary, and in a 
flood of tears addressed herself 
to her, saying, 

3 O my Lady, help and re- 
lieve me; for I had two sons, 
the one I have just now buried, 
the other I see is just at the point 
of death, behold how I (earnest- 
ly) seek favour from God, and 
pray to him. 

4 Then she said, O Lord, thou 
art gracious, and merciful, and 
kind ; thou hast given me two 
sons ; one of them thou hast 
taken to thyself, O spare me 
this other. 

5 St. Mary then perceiving 
the greatness of her sorrow, pit- 
ied her and said, Do thou place 
thy son in my son's bed, and : 
cover him with his clothes. 

6 And w r hen she had placed 
him in the bed wherein Christ 
lay, at the moment when his 
eyes were just closed by death ; 
as soon as ever the smell of the 
garments of the Lord Jesus 
Christ reached the boy, his eyes 
were opened, and calling with a 
loud voice to his mother, he 
asked for bread, and when he 
had received it, he sucked it. 

7 Then his mother said, O 
Lady Mary, now I am assured 
that the powers of God do dwell 
in you, so that thy son can cure 
children who are of the same 
sort as himself, as soon as they 
touch his garments. 

8 This boy who was thus 

49 



A prow woman healed. I. INFANCY. Leprous princess cured by 



cured, is the same who in the 
Gospel is called Bartholomew. 

chap, nil 

1 A leprous woman healed by Christ's 
washing water. 7 A princes: healed 
by it ami restore I to her husband. 

AGAIN there was a leprous 
woman who went to the 
Lady St. Mary, the mother of 
Jesus, and said, O my Lady, 
help me. 

2 St. Mary replied, what help 
dost thou desire ? Is it gold or 
silver, or that thy body be cured 
of its leprosy ? 

3 Who, says the woman, can 
grant me this ? 

4 St. Mary replied to her, 
Wait a little till I have washed 
my son Jesus, and put him to 
bed. 

5 The woman waited, as she 
was commanded ; and Mary 
when she had put Jesus in bed, 
giving her the water with which 
she had washed his body, said, 
Take some of the water, and 
pour it upon thy body ; 

6 Which when she had done, 
she instantly became clean, and 
praised God, and gave thanks to 
him. 

7 If Then she went away, 
after she had abode with her 
three days : 

8 And going into the city, 
she saw a certain prince, who 
had married another prince's 
daughter ; 

9 But when he came to see 
her, he perceived between her 
eyes the signs of leprosy like a 
star, and thereupon declared the 
marriage dissolved and void. 

10 When the woman saw 
these persons in this condition, 
exceedingly sorrowful, and shed- 
ding abundance of tears, she in- 
quired of them the reason of 
their crving. 

50 



1 1 They replied, Inquire not 
into our circumstances ; for we 
are not able to declare our mi- 
fortunes to any person whatso- 
ever. 

12 But still she pressed and 
desired them to communicate 
their case to her, intimating, that 
perhaps she might be able to 
direct them to a remedy. 

13 So when they shewed the 
young woman to her, and the 
signs of the leprosy, which ap- 
peared between her eyes, 

14 She said, I also, whom ye 
see in this place, was afflicted 
with the same distemper, and 
going on some business to Beth- 
lehem, I went into a certain cave, 
and saw a woman named Mary, 
w T ho had a son called Jesus. 

15 She seeing me to be lep- 
rous, w T as concerned for me, and 
gave me some water with which 
she had washed her son's body ; 
with that I sprinkled my body, 
and became clean. 

16 Then said these women, 
Will you, Mistress, go along 
with us, and shew the Lady St. 
Mary to us ? 

17 To which she consent- 
ing, they arose and went to the 
Lady St. Mary, taking with 
them very noble presents. 

18 And w T hen they came in 
and offered their presents to her, 
they showed the leprous young 
woman what they brought with 
them to her. 

19 Then said St. Mary, The 
mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ 
rest upon you ; 

20 And giving them a little of 
that water with which she had 
washed the body of Jesus Christ, 
she bade them wash the diseased 
person with it ; which when they 
had done, she was presently 
cured ; 

21 So they, and all who were 



Christ's washing water. I. INFANCY. 



Girl whose blood 



present, praised God ; and being 
filled with joy, they went back to 
their own city, and gave praise to 
God on that account. 

22 Then the prince hearing that 
his wife was cured, took her home 
and made a second marriage, giv- 
ing thanks unto God for the re- 
covery of his wife's health. 

CHAP. XIII. 



1 A girl, whose blood Satan sucked, re- 
ceives one of Christ's swaddling clothes 
from the Virgin. 14 Satan comes like 
a dragon, and she shews it to him ; 
flames and burning coals proceed from 
it and fall upon him; 19 he is mira- 
culously discomfited, and leaves the 
girl. 

THERE was also a girl, who 
was afflicted by Satan ; 

2 For that cursed spirit did fre- 
quently appear to her in the shape 
of a dragon, and was inclined to 
swallow her up, and had so sucked 
out all her blood, that she looked 
like a dead carcase. 

3 As often as she came to her- 
self, with her hands wringed about 
her head she would cry out, and 
say, Wo, Wo is me, that there is 
no one to be found who can deliv- 
er me from that impious dra- 
gon ! 

4 Her father and mother, and 
all who were about her and saw 
her, mourned and wept over 
her ; 

5 And all who were present 
would especially be under sorrow 
and in tears, when they heard 
her bewailing, and saying, My 
brethren and friends, is there no 
one who can deliver me from this 
murderer ? 

6 Then the prince's daughter, 
who had been cured of her lepro- 
sy, hearing the complaint of that 
girl, went upon the top of her 
castle, and saw her with her hands 
twisted about her head, pouring 
out a flood of tears, and all the 



people that were about her in sor- 
row. 

7 Then she asked the husband 
of the possessed person, Whether 
his wife's mother was alive ? He 
told her, That her father and mo- 
ther were both alive. 

8 Then she ordered her mother 
to be sent to her: to whom, when 
she saw her coming, she said, Is 
this possessed girl thy daughter ? 
She moaning and bewailing said, 
Yes, madam, I bore her. 

9 The prince's daughter an- 
swered, Disclose the secret of her 
case to me, for I confess to you 
that I was leprous, but the Lady 
Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, 
healed me. 

10 And if you desire your 
daughter to be restored to her for- 
mer state, take her to Bethlehem, 
and inquire for Mary the mother 
of Jesus, and doubt not but your 
daughter will be cured ; for I do 
not question but you will come 
home with great joy at your 
daughter's recovery. 

11 As soon as ever she had 
done speaking, she arose and went 
with her daughter to the place ap- 
pointed, and to Mary, and told 
her the case of her daughter. 

12 When St. Mary had heard 
her story, she gave her a little of 
the water with which she had 
washed the body of her son Jesus, 
and bade her pour it upon the 
body of her daughter. 

13 Likewise she gave her one 
of the swaddling cloths of the 
Lord Jesus, and said, Take this 
swaddling cloth and shew it to 
thine enemy as often as thou 
seest him ; and she sent them 
away in peace. 

14 If After they had left that 
city and returned home, ard the 
time was come in which Satan was 
wont to seize her, in the same 
moment this cursed spirit appear- 

51 



Sedan sucked, cured. I. INFANCY 



(rack by Judas. 



cd to her in the shape of a huge 
dragon, and the girl seeing him 
was afraid. 

15 The mother said to her, Be 
notafraid daughter; let him alone 

till he come nearer to thee! then 
shew him the swaddling cloth, 
which the Lady Mary gave us, 
and we shall see the event. 

16 Satan then coming like a 
dreadful dragon, the body of the 
girl trembled for fear. 

17 But as soon as she had put 
the swaddling cloth upon, her 
head, and about her eyes, and 
shewed it to him, presently there 
issued forth from the swaddling 
cloth flames and burning coals, 
and fell upon the dragon. 

18 Oh ! how great a miracle 
was this, which was done : as 
soon as the dragon saw the swad- 
dling cloth of the Lord Jesus, fire 
■went forth and was scattered upon 
his head and eyes ; so that he 
cried out with a loud voice, What 
have I to do with thee, Jesus, 
thou son of Mary, Whither shall 
I flee from thee ? 

19 So he drew back much af- 
frighted, and left the girl. 

20 And she was delivered from 
this trouble, and sang praises and 
thanks to God, and with her all 
who were present at the working 
of the miracle. 

CHAP. XIV. 

1 Judas when a boy possessed by Satan, 
and brought by his parents to Jesus to 
be cured, whom he tries to bite, 7 
but failing, strikes Jesus and makes 
him cry out. Whereupon Satan goes 
from Jesus in the shape of a dog. 

ANOTHER woman likewise 
lived there, whose son was 
possessed by Satan. 

2 This boy, named Judas, as 
often as Satan seized him, was in- 
clined to bite all that were pre- 
sent; and if he found no one else 
52 



near him, he would bite his own 
hands and other parts. 

3 But the mother of this miser- 
able boy, hearing of St. Mary 
and her son Jesus, arose presently, 
and taking her son in her arms, 
brought him to the Lady Mary. 

4 In the meantime, James and 
Joses had taken away the infant, 
the Lord Jesus, to play at a pro- 

jper season with other children ; 
and when they went forth, they 
sat down and the Lord Jesus with 
them. 

5 Then Judas, who was pos- 
sessed, came and sat down at the 
right hand of Jesus. 

6 When Satan was acting upon 
him as usual, he went about to 
bite the Lord Jesus. 

7 And because he could not 
do it, he struck Jesus on the right 
side, so that he cried out. 

8 And in the same moment 
Satan went out of the boy, and 
ran away like a mad dog. 

9 This same boy who struck 
Jesus, and out of whom Satan 
went in the form of a dog, was 
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him 
to the Jews. 

10 And that same side, on 
which Judas struck him, the 
Jews pierced with a spear. 

CHAP. XV. 

1 Jesus and other boys play together, 
and make clay figures of animals. 4 
Jesus causes them to walk, (5 also 
makes clay birds, which he causes to 
fly, and eat and drink. 7 The chil- 
dren's parents alarmed, and take Jesus 
for a sorcerer. 8 He goes to a dyer's 
shop, and throws all the cloths into the 
furnace, and works a, miracle therewith. 
15 Whereupon the Jews praise God. 

AND when the Lord Jesus 
was seven years of age, he 
was on a certain day with other 
boys his companions about the 
same age. 

2 Who when they were at play, 



Animates clay figures. I. INFANCY. Christ miraculously alters 



made clay into several shapes, 
namely, asses, oxen, birds, and 
other figures, 

3 Each boasting of his work, 
and endeavouring to exceed the 
rest. 

4 Then the Lord Jesus said to 
the boys, I will command these 
figures which I have made to 
walk. 

5 And immediately they moved, 
and when he commanded them 
to return, they returned. 

6 He had also made the figures 
of birds and sparrows, which, 
when he commanded to fly, did 
fly, and when he commanded to 
stand still, did stand still; and 
if he gave them meat and drink, 
they did eat and drink. 

7 When at length the boys 
went away, and related these 
things to their parents, their fa- 
thers said to them, Take heed, 
children, for the future, of his 
company, for he is a sorcerer; 
shun and avoid him, and from 
henceforth never play with him. 

8 If On a certain day also, 
when the Lord Jesus was playing 
with theTx>ys, and running about, 
he passed by a dyer's shop, whose 
name was Salem. 

9 And there were in his shop 
many pieces of cloth belonging 
to the people of that city, which 
they designed to dye of several 
colours. 

10 Then the Lord Jesus going 
into the dyer's shop, took all the 
cloths, and threw them into the 
furnace. 

11 When Salem came home, 
and saw the cloths spoiled, he 
began to make a great noise, and 
to chide the Lord Jesus, saying, 

12 What hast thou done to 
me, O thou Son of Mary ? Thou 
hast injured both me and my 
neighbours; they all desired their 
clotjls of a proper colour ; but 



thou hast come, and spoiled them 
all. 

13 The Lord Jesus replied, I 
will change the colour of every 
cloth to what colour thou de- 
sirest ; 

14 And then he presently be- 
gan to take the cloths out of the 
furnace, and they were all dyed 
of those same colours which the 
dyer desired. 

15 And when the Jews saw 
this surprising miracle, they 
praised God. 

CHAP. XVI. 

1 Christ miraculously widens or contracts 
the gates, milk-pails, sieves, or boxes, 
not properly made by Joseph, 4 he not 
being skilful at his carpenter's trade. 
5 The King of Jerusalem gives Joseph 
an order for a throne. 6 Joseph works 
on it for two years in the king's palace, 
and makes it two spans too short. The 
king being angry with him, 10 Jesas 
comforts him, 13 commands him to pull 
one side of the throne, while he pulls 
the other, and brings it to its proper 
dimensions. 14 Whereupon the by- 
standers praise God. 

AND Joseph, wheresoever he 
went in the city, took the 
Lord Jesus with him, where he 
was sent for to w r ork to make 
gates, or milk-pails, or sieves, or 
boxes ; the Lord Jesus was with 
him wheresoever he went. 

2 And as often as Joseph had 
anything in his work, to make 
longer or shorter, or wider, or 
narrower, the Lord Jesus would 
stretch his hand towards it. 

3 And presently it became as 
Joseph would have it. 

4 So that he had no need to 
finish anything with his own 
hands, for he was not very skil- 
ful at his carpenter's trade. 

5 7 On a certain time the 
King of Jerusalem sent for him, 
and said, I would have thee make 
me a throne of the same dimen- 

53 



Joseph's bud carpentry, INFANCY Christ's miracles at play. 



sions with that place in which I 
commonly sit. 

(j Joseph obeyed, and forth- 
with began the work, and con- 
tinued two years in the king's 
palace before he finished it. 

7 And when he came to fix it 
in its place, he found it wanted 
two spans on each side of the 
appointed measure. 

8 Which, when the king saw, 
he was very angry with Joseph ; 

9 And Joseph afraid of the 
king's anger, went to bed without 
his supper, taking not any thing 
to eat. 

10 Then the Lord Jesus asked 
him, What he was afraid of? 

11 Joseph replied, Because I 
have lost my labour in the work 
which I have been about these 
two years. 

12 Jesus said to him, Fear not, 
neither be cast down ; 

13 Do thou lay hold on one 
side of the throne, and I will the 
other, and we will bring it to its 
just dimensions. 

14 And when Joseph had done 
as the Lord Jesus said, and each 
of them had with strength drawn 
his side, the throne obeyed, and 
was brought to the proper dimen- 
sions of the place : 

15 Which miracle when they 
who stood by saw, they were 
astonished, and praised God. 

16 The throne was made of 
the same wood, which was in 
being in Solomon's time, namely, 
wood adorned with various shapes 
and figures. 

CHAR XVII. 

1 Jesus plays with boys at hide and seek. 
3 Some women put his playfellows in a 
furnace, 7 where they are transformed 
by Jesus into kids. 10 Jesus calls 
them to go and play, and they are 
restored to their former shape. 

ON another day the Lord 
Jesus going out into the 
54 



street, and seeing some boys who 
were mot to play, joined himself 
to their company : 

2 But when they saw him, 
they hid themselves, and left 
him to seek for them : 

3 The Lord Jesus came to the 
gate of a certain house, and 
asked some women who were 
standing there, Where the boys 
were gone ? 

4 And when they answered, 
That there was no one there; the 
Lord Jesus said, Who are those 
whom ye see in the furnace ? 

5 They answered, They were 
kids of three years old. 

6 Then Jesus cried out aloud, 
and said, Come out hither, O ye 
kids, to your shepherd ; 

7 And presently the boys 
came forth like kids, and leaped 
about him ; which when the wo- 
men saw, they were exceedingly 
amazed, and trembled. 

8 Then they immediately wor- 
shipped the Lord Jesus, and be- 
seeched him, saying, O our Lord 
Jesus, son of Mary, thou art 
truly that good shepherd of Is- 
rael ! have mercy on thy hand- 
maids, who stand before thee, 
who do not doubt, but that thou, 
O Lord, art come to save, and 
not to destroy. 

9 After that, when the Lord 
Jesus said, the children of Israel 
are like Ethiopians among the 
people ; the women said, Thou, 
Lord, knowest all things, nor is 
any thing concealed from thee ; 
but now we entreat thee, and be- 
seech of thy mercy that thou 
wouldst restore those boys to 
their former state. 

10 Then Jesus said, Come hi- 
ther O boys, that we may go and 
play; and immediately, in the 
presence of these women, 
kids were changed and retujlay, 
into the shape of boys. 



Boy poisoned 



I. INFANCY. 



by a serpent. 



CHAP. XVIII. 



1 Jesus becomes the king of his playfel- 
lows, and they crown him with flowers, 
4 miraculously causes a serpent who 
had bitten Simon the Cananite, then a 
boy, to suck out all the poison again ; 
16 the serpent bursts, and Christ re- 
stores the boy to health. 

IN the month Adar Jesus ga- 
thered together the boys, 
and ranked them as though he 
had been a king. 

2 For they spread their gar- 
ments on the ground for him to 
sit on ; and having made a crown 
of flowers, put it upon his head, 
and stood on his right and left 
as the guards of a king. 

3 And if any one happened 
to pass by, they took him by 
force, and said, Come hither, 
and worship the king, that you 
may have a prosperous journey. 

4 T In the mean time, while 
these things were doing, there 
came certain men, carrying a 
boy upon a couch ; 

5 For this boy having gone 
with his companions to the 
mountain to gather wood, and 
having found there a partridge's 
nest, and put his hand in to 
take out the eggs, was stung by 
a poisonous serpent, which leaped 
out of the nest ; so that he was 
forced to cry out for the help of 
his companions : who, when 
they came, found him lying upon 
the earth like a dead person. 

6 After which his neighbours 
came and carried him back into 
the city. 

7 But when they came to the 
place where the Lord Jesus was 
sitting like a king, and the other 
boys stood around him like his 
ministers, the boys made haste 
to meet him, who was bitten by 

ha'rhe serpent, and said to his neigh- 
neigurs, Come and pay your re- 
clotJects to the king ; 



8 But when, by reason of 
their sorrow, they refused to 
come, the boys drew them, and 
forced them against their wills 
to come. 

9 And when they came to 
the Lord Jesus, he inquired, On 
what account they carried that 
boy? 

10 And when they answered, 
that a serpent had bitten him, 
the Lord Jesus said to the boys, 
Let us go and kill that serpent. 

11 But when the parents of 
the boy desired to be excused, 
because their son lay at the 
point of death ; the boys made 
answer, and said, Did not ye 
hear what the king said ? Let us 
go and kill the serpent ; and 
will not ye obey him ? 

12 So they brought the couch 
back again, whether they would 
or not. 

13 And when they were come 
to the nest, the Lord Jesus said 
to the boys, Is this the serpent's 
lurking place? They said, It 
was. 

14 Then the Lord Jesus call- 
ing the serpent, it presently 
came forth and submitted to 
him ; to whom he said, Go and 
suck out all the poison which 
thott hast infused into that boy ; 

15 So the serpent crept to the 
boy, and took away all its poison 
again. 

16 Then the Lord Jesus 
cursed the serpent so that it imme- 
diately burst asunder, and died. 

17 And he touched the boy 
with his hand to restore him to 
his former health ; 

18 And when he began to cry, 
the Lord Jesus said, Cease cry- 
ing, for hereafter thou shalt be 
my disciple ; 

19 And this is that Simon the 
Canaanite, who is mentioned in 
the Gospel. 

55 



Christ at play. 



I. INFANCY. Makes a dead boy sjiealc. 



CHAP. XIX. 

1 James being bitten by a viper, Jesus 
blows on the wound and cures him. 4. 
Jesus charged with throwing a boy 
from the roof of a house, 10 miracu- 
lously causes the dead boy to acquit 
him, 12 fetches water for his mother, 
breaks the pitcher and miraculously 
gathers the water in his mantle and 
brings it home, 16 makes jish- pools on 
the sabbath, 20 causes a boy to die 
uho broke them down, 22 another boy 
run against him, whom he also causes 
to die. 

ON another day Joseph sent 
his son James to gather 
"wood and the Lord Jesus went 
with him ; 

2 And when they came to the 
place where the wood was, and 
James began to gather it, be- 
hold, a venomous viper bit him, 
so that he began to cry, and 
make a noise. 

3 The Lord Jesus seeing him 
in this condition, came to him, 
and blowed upon the place 
where the viper had bit him, 
and it was instantly well. 

4 If On a certain day the 
Lord Jesus was with some boys, 
who were playing on the house- 
top, and one of the boys fell 
down, and presently died. 

5 Upon which the other boys 
all running away, the Lord 
Jesus was left alone on the 
house-top. 

6 And the boy's relations 
came to him and said to the 
Lord Jesus, Thou didst throw 
our son down from the house- 
top. 

7 But he denying it, they cried 
out, Our son is dead, and this is 
he who killed him. 

8 The Lord Jesus replied to 
them, Do not charge me with a 
crime, of which you are not able 
to convict me, but let us go ask 
the boy himself, who will bring 
the truth to light. 

56 



9 Then the Lord Jesus going 
down stood over the head of the 
dead boy, and said with a loud 
voice, Zeinunus, Zeinunus, who 
threw thee down from the house- 
top? 

10 Then the dead boy answered, 
thou didst not throw me down, 
but such a one did. 

1 1 And when the Lord Jesus 
bade those who stood by to take 
notice of his words, all who were 
present praised God on account 
of that miracle. 

12 Tf On a certain time the 
Lady St. Mary had commanded 
the Lord Jesus to fetch her some 
water out of the well ; 

13 And when he had gone to 
fetch the water, the pitcher, when 
it was brought up full, brake. 

14 But Jesus spreading his 
mantle gathered up the water 
again, and brought it in that to 
his mother. 

15 Who, being astonished at 
this wonderful thing, laid up this, 
and all the other things which she 
had seen, in her memory. 

16 T" Again on another day 
the Lord Jesus was with some 
boys by a river and they drew 
water out of the river by little 
channels, and made little fish- 
pools. 

17 But the Lord Jesus had 
made twelve sparrows, and placed 
them about his pool on each side, 
three on a side. 

18 But it was the Sabbath day, 
and the son of Hanani a Jew came 
by, and saw them making these 
things, and said, Do ye thus 
make figures of clay on the Sab- 
bath? And he ran to them, and 
broke down their fish-pools. 

19 But when the Lord Jesus 
clapped his hands over the spar- 
rows which he had made, they 
fled away chirping. 

20 At length the son of Hanani 




THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE. 
FROM A GREEK PAINTING IN DISTEMPER ON WOOD. 



Gathers spilt water. 



I. INFANCY. 



Kills a playfellow. 



coming to the fish-pool of Jesus 
to destroy it, the water vanished 
away, and the Lord Jesus said to 
him, 

21 In like manner as this water 
has vanished, so shall thy life 
vanish; and presently the boy 
died. 

22 T Another time, when the 
Lord Jesus was coming home in 
the evening with Joseph, he met 
a boy, who ran so hard against 
him, that he threw him down ; 

23 To whom the Lord Jesus 
said, As thou hast thrown me 
down, so shalt thou fall, nor ever 
rise. 

24 And that moment the boy 
fell down and died. 

CHAP. XX. 

4 Sent to school to Zaccheus to learn his 
letters, and teaches Zaccheus. 13 Sent 
to another schoolmaster. 14 refuses to 
tell his letters, and the schoolmaster 
going to whip him his hand withers 
and he dies. 

THERE was also at Jerusalem 
one named Zaccheus, who 
was a schoolmaster. 

2 And he said to Joseph, Jo- 
seph, why dost thou not send 
Jesus to me, that he may learn 
his letters? 

3 Joseph agreed, and told St. 
Mary ; 

4 So they brought him to that 
master ; who, as soon as he saw 
him, wrote out an alphabet for 
him. 

5 And he bade him say Aleph ; 
and when he had said Aleph, the 
master bade him pronounce Beth. 

6 Then the Lord Jesus said to 
him, Tell me first the meaning of 
the letter Aleph, and then I will 
pronounce Beth. 

7 And when the master threat- 
ened to whip him, the Lord Jesus 
explained to him the meaning of 
the letters Aleph and Beth ; 



8 Also which were the straight 
figures of the letters, which the 
oblique, and what letters had dou- 
ble figures ; which had points, and 
which had none ; why one letter 
went before another ; and many 
other things he began to tell him, 
and explain, of which the master 
himself had never heard, nor read 
in any book. 

9 The Lord Jesus farther said 
to the master, Take notice how I 
say to thee ; then he began clearly 
and distinctly to say Aleph, Beth, 
Gimel, Daleth, and so on to the 
end of the alphabet. 

10 At this the master was so 
surprised, that he said, I believe 
this boy was born before Noah ; 

11 And turning to Joseph, he 
said, Thou hast brought a boy to 
me to be taught, who is more 
learned than any master. 

12 He said also unto St. Mary, 
This your son has no need of any 
learning. 

13 T They brought him then 
to a more learned master, who, 
when he saw him, said, say Aleph. 

14 And when he had said Aleph, 
the master bade him pronounc3 
Beth ; to which the Lord Jesus 
replied, Tell me first the meaning 
of the letter Aleph, and then I 
will pronounce Beth. 

15 But this master, when he 
lift up his hand to whip him, had 
his hand presently withered, and 
he died. 

16 Then said Joseph to St. 
Mary, henceforth we will not 
allow him to go out of the house ; 
for every one who displeases him 
is killed. 

CHAP. XXI. 

1 Disputes miraculously with the doctors 
in the temple, 7 on law, 9 on astronomy, 
12 on physics and metaphysics, 21 is 
worshipped by a philosopher, 28 and 
fetched home by his mother. 

57 



Kills Jits schoolmasters. I. INFANCY. Disputes with the doctors, 



AND when he was twelve years 
old, they brought him to 
Jerusalem to the feast; and when 
the feast was over, they returned. 

2 But the Lord Jesus con- 
tinued behind in the temple 
among the doctors and elders, 
and learned men of Israel ; to 
whom he proposed several ques- 
tions of learning, and also gave 
them answers: 

3 For he said to them, Whose 
son is the Messiah? They an- 
swered, the son of David : 

4 Why then, said he, does he 
in the spirit call him Lord ? when 
he saith, The Lord said to my 
Lord, sit thou at my right hand, 
till I have made thine enemies thy 
footstool. 

5 Then a certain principal 
Rabbi asked him, Hast thou read 
books? 

6 Jesus answered, he had read 
both books, and the things which 
were contained in books. 

7 And he explained to them 
the books of the law, and pre- 
cepts, and statutes: and the mys- 
teries which are contained in the 
books of the prophets ; things 
which the mind of no creature 
could reach. 

8 Then said that Rabbi, I never 
yet have seen or heard of such 
knowledge ! What do you think 
that boy will be ! 

9 T When a certain astrono- 
mer, who was present, asked the 
Lord Jesus, Whether he had 
studied astronomy ? 

10 The Lord Jesus replied, and 
told him the number of the 
spheres and heavenly bodies, as 
also their triangular, square, and 
sextile aspect; their progressive 
and retrograde motion ; their 
size and several prognostications ; 
and other things which the reason 
of man had never discovered. 

11 ^ There was also among 

58 



them a philosopher well skilled 
in physic and natural philos- 
ophy, who asked the Lord Jesus, 
Whether he had studied physic? 

12 He replied, and explained 
to him physics and metaphysics. 

13 Also those things which 
were above and below the power 
of nature ; 

14 The powers also of the 
body, its humours, and their ef- 
fects. 

15 Also the number of its 
members, and bones, veins, ar- 
teries, and nerves ; 

16 The several constitutions 
of body, hot and dry, cold and 
moist, and the tendencies oi 
them ; 

17 How the soul operated 
upon the body ; 

18 What its various sensa- 
tions and faculties were ; 

19 The faculty of s] eaking, 
anger, desire ; 

20 And lastly the manner of 
its composition and dissolution ; 
and other things, which the un- 
derstanding of no creature had 
ever reached. 

21 Then that philcsopher 
arose, and worshipped the Lord 
Jesus, and said, O Lord Jesus, 
from henceforth I will be thy 
disciple and servant. 

22 If While they were dis- 
coursing on these and such like 
things, the Lady St. Mary came 
in, having been three days walk- 
ing about with Joseph, seeking 
for him. 

23 And when she saw him 
sitting among the doctors, and 
in his turn proposing questions 
to them, and giving answers, she 
said to him, My son, why hast 
thou done thus by us ? Behold I 
and thy father have been at 
much pains in seeking thee. 

24 He replied, Why did ye 
seek me ? Did ye not know that 



and confounds them. 



I. INFANCY. 



Is baptized. 



I ought to be employed in my 
father's house ? 

25 But they understood not 
the words which he said to them. 

26 Then the doctors asked 
Mary, Whether this was her 
son ? And when she said, He was, 
they said, O happy Mary, who 
hast borne such a son. 

27 Then he returned with 
them to Nazareth, and obeyed 
them in all things. 

28 And his mother kept all 
these things in her mind ; 

29 And the Lord Jesus grew 
in stature and wisdom, and fa- 
vour with God and man. 

CHAP. XXII. 

1 Conceals his miracles, 2 studies the 
law and is baptized. 

"VTOW from this time Jesus 
JA began to conceal his mir- 
acles and secret works, 

2 And he gave himself to the 
study of the law, till he arrived 
to the end of his thirtieth year ; 



3 At which time the Father 
publicly owned him at Jordan, 
sending down this voice from 
heaven, This is my beloved son, 
in whom I am well pleased ; 

4 The Holy Ghost being also 
present in the form of a dove. 

5 This is he whom we wor- 
ship with all reverence, because 
he gave us our life and being, 
and brought us from our mother's 
womb. 

6 Who, for our sakes, took a 
human body, and hath redeemed 
us, so that he might so embrace 

J us with everlasting mercy, and 
! shew his free, large, bountiful 
J grace and goodness to us. 

7 To him be glory and praise, 
and power, and dominion, from 
henceforth and for evermore, 
Amen. 



, ^ The end of the whole Gospel of the 
I Infancy, by the assistance of the Su- 
> preme God,, according to xvhat we 
I found in the original. 



59 



Christ enlivens clay II. INFANCY. 



birds, kill* a buy, 



THOMAS'S GOSPEL of the INFANCY of JESUS CHRIST. 

[The original in Greek, from which this translation is made, will be found 
printed by Cotelerius, in his notes on the constitutions of the Apostle*, 
from a MS. in the French King's Library, No. 2279 — It is attributed to 
Thomas, and conjectured to have been originally connected with the 
Gospel of Mary.] 



T An Account of the Actions 
and Miracles of our Lord and 



Saviour Jesus Christ in his In- 
fancy. 



CHAP. I. 

2 Jesus miraculously clears the water 
after rain. 4 plays with clay sparrows, 
which he animates on the sabbath day. 

I THOMAS, an Israelite, judg- 
ed it necessary to make 
known to our brethren among 
the Gentiles, the actions and 
miracles of Christ in his child- 
hood, which our Lord and God 
Jesus Christ wrought after his 
birth in Bethlehem in our coun- 
try, at which I myself was as- 
tonished ; the beginning of which 
was as followeth. 

2 If When the child Jesus 
was five years of age and there 
had been a shower of rain, which 
was now over, Jesus was play- 
ing with other Hebrew boys by 
a running stream ; and the wa- 
ter running over the banks, stood 
in little lakes ; 

3 But the water instantly be- 
came clear and useful again ; 
he having smote them only by 
his word, they readily obeyed 
him. 

4 Then he took from the bank 
of the stream some soft clay, 

60 



and formed out of it twelve 
sparrows ; and there were other 
boys playing with him. 

5 But a certain Jew seeing 
the things which he was doing, 
namely, his forming clay into 
the figures of sparrows on the 
sabbath day, went presently 
away, and told his father Jo- 
seph, and said, 

6 Behold, thy boy is playing 
by the river side, and has taken 
clay, and formed it into twelve 
sparrows, and profaneth the sab- 
bath. 

7 Then Joseph came to the 
place where he was, and when 
he saw him, called to him, and 
said, Why doest thou that which 
it is not lawful to do on the sab- 
bath day ? 

8 Then Jesus clapping toge- 
ther the palms of his hands, 
called to the sparrows, and said 
to them : Go, fly away ; and 
while ye live remember me. 

9 So the sparrows fled away, 
making a noise. 

10 The Jews seeing this, were 
astonished, and went away, and 
told their chief persons what a 



and is reproved by Joseph. II. INFANCY. 



Sent to school. 



strange miracle they had seen 
wrought by Jesus. 

CHAP. II. 

2 Causes a boy to wither who broke down 
his fish pools, 6 partly restores him, 7 
kills another boy, 10 causes blindness 
to fall on his accusers, 18 for which 
Joseph pulls him by the ear. 

BESIDES this, the son of 
Anna the scribe was stand- 
ing there with Joseph, and took 
a bough of a willow tree, and 
scattered the waters which Jesus 
had gathered into lakes. 

2 Bat the boy Jesus seeing 
what he had done, became an- 
gry, and said to him, Thou fool, 
what harm did the lake do thee, 
that thou shouldest scatter the 
water ? 

3 Behold, now thou shalt 
wither as a tree, and shalt not 
bring forth either leaves, or 
branches, or fruit. 

4 And immediately he be- 
came withered all over. 

5 Then Jesus went away 
home. But the parents of the 
boy who was withered, lament- 
ing the misfortune of his youth, 
took and carried him to Joseph, 
accusing him, and said, Why 
dost thou keep a son who is 
guilty of such actions ? 

6 Then Jesus at the request 
of all who were present did heal 
him, leaving only some small 
member to continue withered, 
that they might take warning. 

7 If Another time Jesus went 
forth into the street, and a boy 
running by, rushed upon his 
shoulder ; 

8 At which Jesus being an- 
gry, said to him, thou shalt go 
no farther. 

9 And he instantly fell down 
dead: 

10 Which when some persons 
saw, they said, Where was this 
boy born, that everything which 



he says presently cometh to 
pass? 

11 Then the parents of the 
dead boy going to Joseph com- 
plained, saying, You are not fit 
to live with us, in our city, 
having such a boy as that : 

12 Either teach him that he 
bless and not curse, or else de- 
part hence with him, for he kills 
our children. 

13 If Then Joseph calling the 
boy Jesus by himself, instructed 
him saying, Why doest thou 
such things to injure the people 
so, that they hate us and prose- 
cute us ? 

14 But Jesus replied, I know 
that what thou sayest is not of 
thyself, but for thy sake I will 
say nothing ; 

15 But they who have said 
these things to thee, shall suffer 
everlasting punishment. 

16 And immediately they who 
had accused him became blind. 

17 And all they who saw it 
were exceedingly afraid and 
confounded, and said concerning 
him, Whatsoever he saith, whe- 
ther good or bad, immediately 
cometh to pass : and they were 
amazed. 

18 And when they saw this 
action of Christ, Joseph arose, 
and plucked him by the ear, at 
which the boy was angry, and 
said to him, Be easy ; 

19 For if they seek for us, 
they shall not find us : thou hast 
done very imprudently. 

20 Dost thou not know that 
I am thine? Trouble me no 
more. 

CHAP. III. 

1 Astonishes Ms schoolmaster by his 
learning. 

A CERTAIN schoolmaster 
named Zacchseus, standing 
in a certain place, heard Jesua 
61 



Adventure at 



CHRIST AND ABGARUS. 



a dyers. 



speaking these things to his 
father. 

2 Ami he was much surprised, 
that bt'iiig a child, he should 
speak such things; and after a 
few days he came to Joseph, 
and said, 

o Thou hast a wise and sensi- 
ble child, send him to me, that 
he may learn to read. 

4 When he sat down to teach 
the letters to Jesus, he began 
with the first letter Aleph ; 

5 But Jesus pronounced the 
second letter Mpeth (Beth) Cghi- 
mel (Gimel), and said over all 
the letters to him to the end. 

6 Then opening a book, he 
taught his master the prophets : 
but he was ashamed, and was at 
a loss to conceive how he came 
to know the letters. 



7 And he arose and went 
home, wonderfully surprised at 
so strange a thing. 

CHAP. IV. 

1 Fragment of an adventure at a dyer's. 

AS Jesus was passing by a cer- 
tain shop, he saw a young 
man dipping (or dyeing) some 
cloths and stockings in a fur- 
nace, of a sad colour, doing 
them according to every- person's 
particular order ; 

2 The boy Jesus going to the 
young man who was doing this, 
took also some of the cloths. 



T Here endeth the Fragment of 
Thomas's Gospel of the Infancy 
of Jesus Christ 



THE EPISTLES of JESUS CHRIST and ABGARUS KING 

of EDESSA. 

[The first writer who makes any mention of the Epistles that passed between 
Jesus Christ and Abgarus, is Eusebius, Bishop of Ca?>area, in Palestine, 
w T ho flourished in the early part of the foarth century. Eor their genu- 
ineness, he appeals to the public registers and records of the City of 
Edessa in ^Mesopotamia, where Abgarus reigned, and where he affirms 
that he found them written, in the Syriac language. He published a 
Greek translation of them, in his Ecclesiastical History. 1 The learned 
world have been much divided on this subject; but, notwithstanding 
that the erudite Grabe, with Archbishop Cave, Dr. Parker, and other 
divines, has strenuously contended for their admission into the canon 
of (Scripture, they are deemed apocryphal. The Rev. Jeremiah Jones 
observes, that the common people in England have this Epistle in their 
houses, in many places, fixed in a frame, with the picture of Christ 
before it; and that they generally, with much honesty and devotion, 
regard it as the word oifGod, and the genuine Epistle of Christ.] 

2 I have "been informed con- 
cerning you and your cures, 



CHAP. I. 

A copy of a letter -written by King Ab- 
garus to Jesus, and sent to him by 
Ananias, his footman, to Jerusalem, 
5 inviting him to Edessa. 

A BGARUS, king of Edessa, 



which are performed without 
the use of medicines and herbs. 

3 For it is reported, that you 
cause the blind to see, the lame 



to Jesus the good Saviour, to walk, do both cleanse lepers, 
who appears at Jerusalem, greet- and cast out unclean spirits and 
ing- devils, and restore them to health 

1 L. i. c 13. 
62 



Jesus' letter 



NICODEMUS. 



to Abgarus, 



who have been long diseased, and 
raisest up the dead ; 

4 All which when I heard, I 
was persuaded of one of these 
two, viz : either that you are God 
himself descended from heaven, 
who do these things, or the son of 
God. 

5 On this account therefore I 
have wrote to you, earnestly to 
desire you would take the trouble 
of a journey hither, and cure a 
disease which I am under. 

6 For I hear the Jews ridicule 
you, and intend you mischief. 

7 My city is indeed small, but 
neat, and large enough for us both. 

CHAP. II. 

The answer of Jesus by Ananias the 
footman to Abgarus the king, 3 de- 
clining to visit Edessa. 



ABGARUS, you are happy, 
forasmuch as you have be- 
lieved on me, whom ye have not 
seen. 

2 For it is written concerning 
me, that those who have seen me 
should not believe on me, that 
they who have not seen might be- 
lieve and live. 

3 As to that part of your letter, 
which relates to my giving you a 
visit, I must inform you, that I 
must fulfil all the ends of my 
mission in this country, and after 
that be received up again to him 
who sent me. 

4 But after my ascension I will 
send one of my disciples, who 
will cure your disease, and give 
life to you, and all that are with 
you. 



The GOSPEL of NICODEMUS, formerly called the ACTS of 
PONTIUS PILATE. 

[Although this Gospel is, by some among the learned, supposed to have been 
really written by Nicodemus, who became a disciple of Jesus Christ, and 
conversed with him ; others conjecture that it was a forgery towards the 
close of the third ceatury by some zealous believer, who observing that 
there had been appeals made by the Christians of the former age, to the 
Acts of Pilate, bnt that such Acts could not be produced, imagined it 
would be of service to Christianity to fabricate and publish this Gospel ; 
as it would both confirm the Christians under persecution, and convince 
the Heathens of the truth of the Christian religion. The Eev. Jeremiah 
Jones says, that such pious frauds were very common among Christians 
even in the first three centuries ; and that a forgery of this nature, with 
the view above mentioned, seems natural and probable. The same 
author, in noticing that Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical history, charges 
the Pagans with having forged and published a book, called " The Acts 
of Pilate," takes occasion to observe, that the internal evidence of this 
Gospel shows it was not the work of any Heathen ; bnt that if in the 
latter end of the third century we find it in use among Christians (as 
it was then certainly in some churches) and about the same time find a 
forgery of the Hsathens under the same title, it seems exceedingly pro- 
bable that some Christians, at that time, should publish such a piece as 
this, in order partly to confront the spurious one of the Pagans, and 
partly to support those appeals which had been made by former 
Christians to the Acts of Pilate ; and Mr. Jones says, he thinks so more 
particularly as we have innumerable instances of forgeries by the faith- 
ful in the primitive ages, grounded on le*s plausible reasons. Whether 
it be canonical or not, it is of very great antiquity, and is appealed toby 
several of the ancient Christians. The present translation is made 
from the Gospel published by Grynseus in the Orthodoxographa, vol. i. 
torn. ii. p. 643.] 

63 



Christ accused by the NICODEMUS. 



Jews before Pilate. 



TJie Gospel of Nicodemus the 
disciple, concerning the Sufferings 
and Resurrection of our Master 
and Sac io ur Jesus Christ. 

CHAP. I. 

1 Christ accused to Pilate by the Jews 
of healing on the sabbath, 9 sum 
moned before Pilate by a messenger 
who docs him honour, 20 worshipped 
by the standards bowing down to him. 

ANNAS and Caiaphas, and 
Suraraas, and Datam, Ga- 
maliel, Judas, Levi, Nepthalim, 
Alexander, Cyrus, and other 
Jews, went to Pilate about Jesus, 
accusing him with many bad 
crimes. 

2 And said, We are assured 
that Jesus is the son of Joseph the 
carpenter/and born of Mary, and 
that he declares himself the Son 
of God, and a king f and not only 
so, but attempts the dissolution of 
the sabbath, 3 and the laws of our 
fathers. 

3 Pilate replied ; What is it 
which he declares ? and what is it 
which he attempts dissolving ? 

4 The Jews told him,We have 
a law which forbids doing cures 
on the sabbath day ;* but he 
cures both the lame and the deaf, 
those afflicted with the palsy, the 
blind, and lepers, and demoniacs, 
on that day by wicked methods. 

5 Pilate replied, How can he 
do this by wicked methods ? They 
answered, He is a conjurer, and 
casts out devils by the prince of 
the devils ; 5 and so all things 
become subject to him. 

6 Then said Pilate, Casting out 
devils seems not to be the work 
of an unclean spirit, but to pro- 
ceed from the power of God. 

7 The Jews replied to Pilate, 
We entreat your highness to sum- 

1 Matt. xiii. 55, and John vi. 42. 2 John v. 17, 18. Mark xv. 2. 

8 Matt. xii. 2. &c. ; Luke xiii. 14. John, v. 18. i Exod. xx. 8, &c. 6 Matt. 

vi. 24, and xi. 5. 6 Matt. iv. 34, and xii. 24, &c. 

9, &c. 

64 



mon him to appear before your 
tribunal, and hear him yourself. 
8 Then Pilate called a messenger 
and said to him, By what means 
will Christ be brought hither? 

9 Then went the messenger 
forth, and knowing Christ, wor- 
shipped him ; and having spread 
the cloak which he had in his 
hand upon the ground, he said, 
Lord, walk upon this, and go in, 
for the governor calls thee. 

10 When the Jews perceived 
what the messenger had done 
they exclaimed (against him) to 
Pilate, and said, Why did you not 
give him his summons by a bea- 
dle, and not by a messenger? — 
For the messenger, when he saw 
him, worshipped him, and spread 
the cloak which he had in his 
hand upon the ground before him, 
and said to him, Lord, the go- 
vernor calls thee. 

1 1 Then Pilate called the mes- 
senger, and said, Why hast thou 
done thus ? 

12 The messenger replied, 
When thou sen test me from Je- 
rusalem to Alexander, I saw Je- 
sus sitting in a mean figure upon 
a she ass, and the children of the 
Hebrews cried out, Hosannah, 
holding boughs of trees in their 
hands. 

13 Others spread their garments 
in the way, and said, Save us, thou 
who art in heaven ; blessed is he 
who cometh in the name of the 
Lord. 7 

14 Then the Jews cried out, 
against the messenger, and said, 
The children of the Hebrews 
made their acclamations in the 
Hebrew language ; and how 
couldst thou, who art a Greek, 
understand the Hebrew ? 



7 Matt. xxi. 3, 






Christ worshipped by NICODEMUS. 



the standards. 



15 The messenger answered 
them and said, I asked one of 
the Jews and said, What is this 
which the children do cry out in 
the Hebrew language ? 

16 And he explained it to me, 
saving, they cry out Hosannah, 
which being interpreted, is, O, 
Lord, save me; or, O Lord, 
save. 

17 Pilate than said to them, 
Why do you yourselves testify 
to the words spoken by the chil- 
dren, namely, by your silence ? 
In what has the messenger done 
amiss ? And they were silent. 

18 Then the governor said 
unto the messenger, Go forth 
and endeavour by any means to 
bring him in. 

19 But the messenger went 
forth, and did as before ; and 
said, Lord, come in, for the gov- 
ernor calleth thee. 

20 And as Jesus was going in 
by the ensigns, who carried the 
standards, the tops of them 
bowed down and worshipped 
Jesus. 

21 Whereupon the Jews ex- 
claimed more vehemently against 
the ensigns. 

22 But Pilate said to the 
Jews, I know it is not pleasing 
to you that the tops of the stan- 
dards did of themselves bow 
and worship Jesus ; but why do 
ye exclaim against the ensigns, 
as if they had bowed and wor- 
shipped ? 

23 They replied to Pilate, 
We saw the ensigns themselves 
bowing and worshipping Jesus. 

24 Then the governor called 
:he ensigns and said unto them, 

T hv did you do thus ? 
]25 The ensigns said to Pilate, 
Je are all Pagans and worship 
le gods in temples ; and how j 
lould we think anything about : 
orshipping him ? We only i 
a 



held the standards in our hands 
and they bowed themselves and 
worshipped him. 

26 Then said Pilate to the 
rulers of the synagogue, Do ye 
yourselves choose some strong 
men, and let them hold the stan- 
dards, and we shall see whether 
they will then bend of them- 
selves. 

27 So the elders of the Jews 
sought out twelve of the most 
strong and able old men, and 
made them hold the standards 
and they stood in the presence 
of the governor. 

28 Then Pilate said to the 
messenger, Take Jesus out, and 
by some means bring him in 
again. And Jesus and the mes- 
senger went out of the hall. 

29 And Pilate called the en- 
signs who before had borne the 

o 

standards, and swore to them,. 
that if they had not borne the 
standards in that manner when 
Jesus before entered in, he would. 
cut off their heads. 

30 Then the governor com- 
manded Jesus to come in again. 

31 And the messenger did as 
he had done before, and very 
much entreated Jesus that he 
would go upon his cloak, and 
walk on it, and he did walk 
upon it, and went in. 

32 And when Jesus went in, 
the standards bowed themselves 
as before, and worshipped him. 

CHAP. II. 

2 7s compassionated by Pilate's wife, T 
charged icith being born in fornication. 
12 Testimony to the betrothing of his 
parents. Hatred of the Jews to him. 

"VTOW when Pilate saw this, 
1_\ he was afraid, and was 
about to rise from his seat. 

2 But while he thought to 
rise, his own wife who stood at a 
distance, sent to him, saying, 
65 



Charged with being NICODEMUS. born in fornication. 



Have thou nothing to do with 
that just man ; for I have suf- 
fered much concerning him in a 
vision this night. 1 

3 When the Jews heard this 
they said to Pilate, Did we not 
say unto thee, He is a conjuror? 
Behold, he hath caused thy wife 
to dream. 

4 Pilate then calling Jesus, 
said, thou hast heard what they 
testify against thee, and makest 
no answer? 

5 Jesus replied, If they had 
not a power of speaking, they 
could not have spoke ; but be- 
cause every one has the com- 
mand of his own tongue, to 
speak both good and bad, let 
him look to it. 

6 But the elders of the Jews 
answered, and said to Jesus, 
What shall we look to ? 

7 In the first place, we know 
this concerning thee, that thou 
wast born through fornication ; 
secondly, that upon the account 
of thy birth the infants were 
slain in Bethlehem ; thirdly, that 
thy father and mother Mary fled 
into Egypt, because they could 
not trust their own people. 

8 Some of the Jews who stood 
by spake more favourably, We 
cannot say that he was born 
through fornication ; but we 
know that his mother Mary was 
betrothed to Joseph, and so he 
was not born through fornication. 

9 Then said Pilate to the Jews 
who affirmed him to be born 
through fornication, This your 
account is not true, seeing there 
was a betroth ment, as they testify 
who are of your own nation. 

10 Annas and Caiaphas spake 
to Pilate, All this multitude of 
people is to be regarded, who 
cry out, that he was born through 



fornication, and is a conjuror; 
but they who deny him to be 
born through fornication, are his 
proselytes and disciples. 

1 1 Pilate answered Annas and 
Caiaphas, Who are the proselytes? 
They answered, They are those 
who are the children of Pagans, 
and are not become Jews, but 
followers of him. 

12 Then replied Eleazer, and 
Asterius, and Antonius, and 
James, Caras and Samuel, Isaac 
and Phinees, Crispus and Agrip- 
pa, Annas and Judas, We are 
not proselytes, but children of 
Jews, and speak the truth, and 
were present when Mary was be- 
trothed. 

13 Then Pilate addressing him- 
self to the twelve men who spake 
this, said to them, I conjure you 
by the life of Caesar, that ye faith- 
fully declare whether he was 
born through fornication, and 
those things be true which ye 
have related. 

14 They answered Pilate, We 
have a law, whereby we are forbid 
to swear, it being a sin : Let them 
swear by the life of Csesar that it 
is not as we have said, and we 
will be contented to be put to 
death. 

15 Then said Annas and Caia- 
phas to Pilate, Those twelve men 
will not believe that we know 
him to be basely born, and to be 
a conjuror, although he pretends 
that he is the son of God, and a 
king : 2 which we are so far from 
believing, that we tremble to hear 

16 Then Pilate commandc 
every one to go out except tie 
twelve men who said he was rot 
born through fornication, and 
Jesus to withdraw to a distarce, 
and said to them, Why have he 
Jews a mind to kill Jesus ? 



66 



Matt, xxvii. 19. 



3 John v. 17, 18 ; Mark xv. 2. 



Christ disputes 



NICODEMUS. 



with Pilate. 



17 They answered him, They 
are angry because he wrought 
cures on the sabbath day. Pilate 
said, Will they kill him for a 
good work ? x They say unto 
him, Yes, Sir. 

CHAP. III. 

1 7s exonerated by Pilate. 11 Disputes 
with Pilate concerning Truth. 

THEN Pilate, filled with an- 
ger, went out of the hall, 
and said to the Jews, I call the 
whole world to witness that I 
find no fault in that man. 2 

2 The Jews replied to Pilate, 
If he had not been a wicked per- 
son, we had not brought him be- 
fore thee. 

3 Pilate said to them, Do ye 
take him and try him by your 
law. 

4 Then the Jews said, It is 
not lawful for us to put any one 
to death. 

5 Pilate said to the Jews, The 
command, therefore thou shalt 
not kill, 3 belongs to you, but not 
to me. 

6 And he went again into the 
hall, and called Jesus by himself, 
and said to him, Art thou the 
king of the Jews ? 

7 And Jesus answering, said 
to Pilate, Dost thou speak this 
of thyself, or did the Jews tell it 
thee concerning me ? 

8 Pilate answering, said to 
Jesus, Am I a Jew ? The whole 
nation and rulers of the Jews 
have delivered thee up to me. 
What hast thou done ? 

9 Jesus answering, said, My 
kingdom is not of this world : if 
my kingdom were of this world, 
then would my servants fight, 



| and I should not have been de- 
! livered to the Jews ; but now my 
i kingdom is not from hence. 

10 Pilate said, Art thou a 
king then ? Jesus answered, Thou 
sayest that I am a king : to this 
end was I born, and for this end 
came I into the world ; and for 
this purpose I came, that I should 
bear witness to the truth ; and 
every one who is of the truth, 
heareth my voice. 

11 Pilate saith to him, What 
is truth? 

12 Jesus said, Truth is from 
heaven. 

1 3 Pilate said, Therefore truth 
is not on earth. 

14 Jesus said to Pilate, Be- 
lieve that truth is on earth 
among those, who when they 
have the power of judgment, are 
governed by truth, and form 
right judgment. 

CHAP. IV. 

1 Pilate finds nojault in Jesus. 16 The 
Jews demand his crucifixion. 

THEN Pilate left Jesus in the 
hall, and went out to the 
Jews, and said, I find not any 
one fault in Jesus. 

2 The Jews say unto him, But 
he said, I can destroy the temple 
of God, and in three days build 
it up again. 

3 Pilate saith unto them,What 
sort of temple is that of which he 
speak eth? 

4 The Jews say unto him, 
That wliich Solomon was forty- 
six years in building, 4 he said he 
would destroy, and in three days 
build nip. 

5 Pilate said to them again, I 
am innocent from the blood of 
that man; do ye look to it. 5 



1 John x. 32. 2 John xviii. 31, &c. 3 Exod. xx. 13. * John ii. 19. 

6 Matt, xxvii. 24. 

67 



Pilate inclines to Christ. NICODEMUS. The Jews demand his death. 



6 The Jews say to him, His 16 The Jews say to Pilate, Our 
blood be upon us and our chil- law commands us not to put any 
dren. Then Pilate calling to- ; one to death : 2 we desire that he 
gether the elders and scribes, may be crucified, because he de- 
priests and Levites, saith to them serves the death of the cross, 
privately, Do not act thus; I 17 Pilate saith to them, It is 
have found nothing in your not fit he should be crucified : let 
charge (against him) concerning him be only whipped and sent 
his curing sick persons, and j away: 1 
breaking the sabbath, worthy of 18 But 



death 

7 The Priests and Levites re- 
plied to Pilate, By the life of 
Cciesar, if any one be a blasphe- 
mer, he is worthy of death j 1 
but this man hath blasphemed 
against the Lord. 

8 Then the governor again 
commanded the Jews to depart 
out of the hall ; and calling Jesus, 
said to him, What shall I do with 
thee ? 

9 Jesus answered him, Do ac- 
cording as it is written. 

10 Pilate said to him, How is 
it written ? 

11 Jesus saith to him, Moses 
and the prophets have prophesied 
concerning my suffering and re- 
surrection. 

12 The Jews hearing this, 
were provoked, and said to Pi- 
late, Why wilt thou any longer 
hear the blasphemy of that man ? 

13 Pilate saith to them, If 
these words seem to you blas- 
phemy, do ye take him, bring 
him to your court, and try him 
according to your law. 

14 The Jews reply to Pilate, 
Our law saith, he shall be obliged 
to receive nine and thirty stripes, 
but if after this manner he shall 
blaspheme against the Lord, he 
shall be stoned. 

15 Pilate saith unto them, If 
that speech of his was blasphemy, 
do ye try him according to your 
law. 



when the governor 
looked upon the people that were 
present and the Jews, he saw 
many of the Jews in tears, and 
said to the chief priests of the 
Jews, All the people do not de- 
sire his death. 

19 The elders of the Jews an- 
swered to Pilate, We and all the 
people came hither for this very 
purpose, that he should die. 

20 Pilate saith to them, Why 
should he die? 

21 They said to him, Because 
he declares himself to be the Son 
of God, and a King. 

CHAP. V. 

1 Nicodemus speaks in defence of Christ, 
and relates his miracles. 12 Another 
Jew, 26 with Veronica, 34 Centurio, 
and others, testify of other miracles. 

BUT Nicodemus, a certain 
Jew, stood before the gov- 
ernor, and said, I entreat thee, 
O righteous judge, that thou 
wouldst favour me with the li- 
berty of speaking a few words. 

2 Pilate said to him, Speak on. 

3 Nicodemus said, I spake to 
the elders of the Jews, and the 
scribes, and priests and Levites, 
and all the multitude of the 
Jews, in their assembly ; What is 
it ye would do with this man ? 

4 He is a man who hath 
wrought many useful and glo- 
rious miracles, such as no man 
on earth ever wrought before, 



Leviticus xxiv. 1.6. 
63 



8 Exodus xx. 13. 



3 Luke xxiii. 16. 



Xieodemtis "peaks. 



NIC3DEMUS. A Jew cured by Christ, 



nor will ever work. 1 Let him 
go, and do him no harm ; if he 
Cometh from God, his miracles, 
(his miraculous cures) will con- 
tinue ; but if from men, they 
will come to nought. 2 

5 Thus Moses, when he was 
sent by God into Egypt, wrought 
the miracles which God com- 
manded him, before Pharaoh 
king of Egypt ; and though the 
magicians of that country, Jan- 
nes and Jambres, 3 wrought by 
their magic the same miracles 
which Moses did, yet they could 
not work all which he did ; 4 

6 And the miracles which the 
magicians wrought, were not of 
God, as ye know, O Scribes and 
Pharisees ; but they who wrought 
them perished, and all who be- 
lieved them. 5 

7 And now let this man go ; 
because the very miracles for 
which ye accuse him, are from 
God; and he is not worthy of 
death. 

8 The Jews then said to Nico- 
demus, Art thou become his 
disciple, and making speeches 
in his favour? 

9 Nicodemus said to them, Is 
the governor become his disciple 
also, and does he make speeches 
for him ? Did not Caesar place 
him in that high post ? 

10 When the Jews heard this 
they trembled, and gnashed their 
teeth at Nicodemus, and said to 
him, Mayest thou receive his 
doctrine for truth, and have thy 
lot with Christ! 

11 Nicodemus replied, Amen ; 
I will receive his doctrine, and 
my lot with him, as ye have said. 

"12 Tf Then another certain Jew 



rose up, and desired leave of the 
governor to hear him a few words. 

13 And the governor said, 
Speak what thou hast a mind. 

14 And he said, I lay for 
thirty-eight years by the sheep- 
pool at Jerusalem, labouring 
under a great infirmity, and 
waiting for a cure which should 
be wrought by the coming of an 
angel, who at a certain time trou- 
bled the water ; and whosoever 
first after the troubling of the 
water stepped in, was made whole 
of whatsoever disease he had. 

15 And when Jesus saw me 
languishing there, he said to me, 
Wilt thou be made whole ? And 
I answered, Sir, I have no man, 
when the water is troubled, to 
put me into the pool. 

16 And he said unto me, Pise, 
take up thy bed and walk. And 
I was immediately made whole, 
and took up my bed and walked. 6 

17 The Jews then said to Pi- 
late, Our Lord Governor, pray 
ask him what day it w 7 as on which 
he was cured of his infirmity. 

18 The infirm person replied, 
It was on the sabbath. 

19 The Jews said to Pilate, 
Did we not say that he wrought 
his cures on the sabbath, and cast 
out devils by the prince of devils ? 

20 Then another certain 7 Jew 
came forth, and said, I was blind, 
could hear sounds, but could not 
see any one ; and as Jesus was 
going along, I heard the multi- 
tude passing by, and I asked 
what was there ? 

21 They told me that Jesus 
was passing by : then I cried out, 
saying, Jesus, Son of David, 
have mercy on me. And he 



1 John iii. 2. 2 Acts v. 38. 

3 These are mentioned also as the names of the magicians, 2 Tim. iii. 8. 

4 Exod. viii. 18. &c. 5 Acts v. 35. An allusion to Gamaliel's speech. 

6 John v. 1, 2, &c. r Mark x. 43. 

69 



with Veronica and other*, NICODEMUS. testify of his miracles. 



stood still, and commanded that! 
I should be brought to him, and 
said to me, What wilt thou ? 

22 I said, Lord, that I may 
receive my sight. 

23 He said to me, Receive 
thy sight : and presently I saw, 
and followed him, rejoicing and 
giving thanks. 

24 Another Jew also came 
forth, and said, l l was a leper, 
and he cured me by his word 
only, saying, I will, be thou 
clean ; and presently I was 
cleansed from my leprosy. 

25 And another Jew came 
forth, and said, I was crooked, 
and he made me straight by his 
word. 2 

26 If And a certain woman 
named Veronica, said, 3 I was 
afflicted with an issue of blood 
twelve years, and I touched the 
hem of his garments, and present- 
ly the issue of my blood stopped. 

27 The Jews then said, We 
have a law, that a woman shall 
not be allowed as an evidence. 

28 And, after other things, 
another Jew said, 4 I saw Jesus 
invited to a wedding with his 
disciples, and there was a want 
of wine in Cana of Galilee ; 

29 And when the wine was 
all drank, he commanded the 
servants that they should fill six 
pots which were there with 
water, and they filled them up 
to the brim, and he blessad 
them, and turned the water into 
wine, and all the people drank, 
being surprised at this miracle. 

30 And another Jew stood 
forth, and said, 5 I saw Jesus 
teaching in the synagogue at 



Capernaum ; and there was in 
the synagogue a certain man 
who had a devil ; and he cried 
out, saying, let me alone ; what 
have we to do with thee, Jesus 
of Nazareth? Art thou come 
to destroy us ? I know that 
thou art the Holy One of God. 

3 1. And Jesus rebuked him, 
saying, Hold thy peace, unclean 
spirit, and come out of the man ; 
and presently he came out of 
him. and did not at all hurt him. 

32 The following things were 
also said by a Pharisee ; I saw 
that a great company came to 
Jesus from Galilee and Judaea, 
and the sea-coast, and many 
countries about Jordan, and 
many infirm persons came to 
him, and he healed them all. 6 

33 And I heard the unclean 
spirits crying out, and saying, 7 
Thou art the Son of God. And 
Jesus strictly charged them, 
that they should not make him 
known. 

34 If After this another per- 
son, whose name was Centurio, 
said, 8 I saw Jesus in Capernaum, 
and I entreated him, saying, 
Lord, my servant lieth at home 
sick of the palsy. 

35 And Jesus said to me, I 
will come and cure him. 

36 But I said, Lord, I am not 
worthy that thou shouldst come 
under my roof; but only speak 
the word, and my servant shall 
be healed. 

37 And Jesus said unto me, 
Go thy way ; and as thou hast 
believed, so be it done unto thee. 
And my servant was healed 
from that same hour. 



1 Matt. viii. 11, &c. 2 Luke xiii. 11. 

3 Matt. ix. 20, &c. See concerning this woman called Veronica, on whom 
this miracle was performed, and the statue which she erected to the honour 
of Christ, in Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1.7, c. 18. 

4 John ii. 1, & 6 Luke iv. 33, &c. 6 Matt. v. 23. 



7 ■»' 



8 Matt. viii. 5, &c. 



Christ's miracles witnessed. NICODEMUS. His death demanded. 



38 Then a certain nobleman 
said, I had a son in Capernaum, 
who lay at the point of death ; 
and when I heard that Jesus was 
come into Galilee, I went and 
besought him that he would come 
down to my house, and heal my 
son, for he was at the point of 
death. 

39 He said to me, Go thy way, 
thy son liveth. 

40 And my son was cured 
from that hour. 

41 Besides these, also many 
others of the Jews, both men and 
women, cried out and said, He is 
truly the Son of God, who cures 
all diseases only by his word, and 
to whom the devils are altogether 
subject. 

42 Some of them farther said, 
This power can proceed from 
none but God. 

43 Pilate said to the Jews, 
Why are not the devils subject 
to your doctors ? 

44 Some of them said, The 
power of subjecting devils can- 
not proceed but from God. 

45 But others said to Pilate, 
That he had l raised Lazarus 
from the dead, after he had been 
four days in his grave. 

46 The governor hearing this, 
trembling said to the multitude 
of the Jews, What will it profit 
you to shed innocent blood ? 

CHAP. VI. 

1 Pilate dismayed by the turbulence of 
the Jews, 5 who demand Bar abbas to 
be released, and Cfirist to be crucified, 
9 Pilate warmly expostulates with 
them, 20 washes his hands of Christ's 
blood, 23 and sentences him to be 
whipped and crucified. 

THEN Pilate having called 
together Nicodemus, and 
the fifteen men who said that 



Jesus was not born through for- 
nication, said to them, What 
shall I do, seeing there is like to 
be a tumult among the people. 2 

2 They said unto him, We 
know not ; ltt them look to it 
who raise the tumult. 

3 Pilate then called the multi- 
tude again, and said to them, Ye 
know that ye have a custom, that 
I should release to you one pri- 
soner at the feast of the passover ; 

4 I have a noted prisoner, a 
murderer, who is called Barab- 
bas, and Jesus who is called 
Christ, in whom I find nothing 
that deserves death; which of 
them therefore have you a mind 
that I should release to you ? 3 

5 They all cry out, and say, 
Release to us Barabbas. 

6 Pilate saith to them, What 
then shall I do with Jetus who 
is called Christ ? 

7 They all ans\\ er, Let him be 
crucified. 

8 Again they cry out and say 
to Pilate, You are not the friend 
of Caesar, if you release this 
man ? 4 for he hath declared that 
he is the Son of God, and a king. 
But are you inclined that he 
should be king, and not Csesar ? 

9 Then "Pilate filled with an- 
ger said to them, Your nation 
hath always been seditious, and 
you are always against those who 
have been serviceable to you ? 

10 The Jews replied, Who are 
those who have been serviceable 
to us? 

11 Pilate answered them, Your 
God who delivered you from the 
hard bondage of the Egyptians, 
and brought you over the Red 
Sea as though it had been dry 
land, and fed you in the wilder- 
ness with manna and the flesh of 



1 John xi. 17, &c. 



2 Matt, xxvii. 24. 
* John xix.12. 



3 Matt, xxvii. 21, 



71 



by the Jews, and 



NICODEMIX 



ordered by Pilate. 



quails, and brought water out of 
the rock, and gave you a Jaw 
from liea ven : 

12 Ye provoked him all ways, 
and desired for yourselves a mol- 
ten calf, and worshipped it, and 
sacrificed to it, and said, These 
are Thy Gods, O Israel, which 
brought thee out of the land of 
Egypt ! 

13 On account of which your 
God was inclined to destroy you ; 
but Moses interceded for you, and 
your God heard him, and forgave 
your iniquity. 

14 Afterwards ye were enraged 
against, and would have killed 
your prophets, Moses and Aaron, 
when they fled to the tabernacle, 
and ye were always murmuring 
against God and his prophets. 

15 And arising from his judg- 
ment seat, he would have gone 
out ; but the Jews all cried out, 
We acknowledge Caesar to be 
king, and not Jesus. 

16 Whereas this person, as 
soon as he was born, the wise 
men came and offered gifts unto 
him ; which when Herod heard, 
he was exceedingly troubled, and 
would have killed him. 

17 When his father knew this, 
he fled with him and his mother 
Mary into Egypt. Herod, when 
he heard he was born, would have 
slain him ; and accordingly sent 
and slew all the children which 
were in Bethlehem, and in all the 
coasts thereof, from two years old 
and under. 1 

18 When Pilate heard this 
account, he was afraid ; and com- 
manding silence among the peo- 
ple, who made a noise, he said to 
Jesus, Art thou therefore a kins; ? 

19 All the Jew r s replied to Pi- 
late, he is the very person whom 
Herod sought to have slain. 



20 Then Pilate taking water, 
washed his. hands before the peo- 
ple and said, I am innocent of 
the blood of this just person ; 
look ye to iff 

21 The Jews answered and 
said, His blood be upon us and 
our children. 

22 Then Pilate commanded 
Jesus to be brought before him, 
and spake to him in the follow- 
ing words : 

23 Thy own nation hath 
charged thee as making thyself 
a king ; wherefore 1, Pilate, sen- 
tence thee to be whipped accord- 
ing to the laws of former gover- 
nors; and that thou be first 
bound, then hanged upon a cross 
in that place wdiere thou art now 
a prisoner ; and also two crimi- 
nals with thee, whose names are 
Dimas and Gestas. 

CHAP. VII. 

1 Manner of Christ's crucifixion with 
the two thieves. 

rj^HEX Jesus went out of the 
JL hall, and the two thieves 
with him. 

2 And when they came to the 
place which is called Golgotha, 3 
they stript him of his raiment, 
and girt him about with a linen 
cloth, and put a crown of thorns 
upon his head, and put a reed in 
his hand. 

3 And in like manner did they 
to the two thieves who were cru- 
cified with him, Dimas on his 
right hand and Gestas on his left. 

4 But Jesus said, My Father, 
forgive them ; For they know not 
what they do. 

5 And they divided his gar- 
ments, and upon his vesture they 
cast lots. 

6 The people i.i the mean time 
stood by, and the chief priests 



1 Matt. ii. 

72 



2 Matt, xxvii. 24, &c. 



Matt xxvii. 33. 








S E 



Christ's crucifixion NICODEMUS. attended by miracles, 



and elders of the Jews mocked 
him, saying, lie saved others, let 
him uow save himself if he can ; 
if he be the son of God, let him 
now come down from the cross. 

7 The soldiers also mocked 
him, and taking vinegar and gall 
olfered it to him to drink, and 
said to him, If thou art king of 
the Jews deliver thyself. 

8 Then Longinus, a certain sol- 
dier, taking a spear, 1 pierced his 
side, and presently there came 
forth blood and water. 

9 And Pilate wrote the title 
upon the cross in Hebrew, Latin, 
and Greek letters, viz. This is the 
king of the Jews. 2 

10 But one of the two thieves 
who were crucified with Jesus, 
whose name was Gestas, said to 
Jesus, If thou art the Christ, deli- 
ver thyself and us. 

1 1 But the thief who was cru- 
cified on his right hand, whose 
name was Dimas, answering, re- 
buked him, and said, Dost not 
thou fear God, who art condemned 
to this punishment ? We indeed 
receive rightly and justly the 
demerit of our actions ; but this 
Jesus, what evil hath he done ? 

1 2 After this groaning, he said 
to Jesus, Lord, remember me 
when thou comest into thy king- 
dom. 

13 Jesus answering, said to 
him, Verily I say unto thee, that 
this day thou shalt be with me in 
Paradise. 

CHAP. VIII. 

1 Miraculous appearance at his death. 
10 The Jews say the eclipse was natural. 
12 Joseph of Arimathcea embalms 
Christ's body and buries it. 

AND it was about the sixth 
hour, 3 and darkness was upon 
the face of the whole earth until 
the ninth hour. 



2 And while the sun was 
eclipsed, behold the vail of the 
temple was rent from the top to 
the bottom ; and the rocks also 
were rent, and the graves opened, 
and many bodies of saints, which 
slept, arose. 

3 And about the ninth hour 
Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 
saying, Hely, Hely, lama zabac- 
thani ? which being interpreted, 
is, My God, My God, why hast 
thou forsaken me ? 

4 And after these things, Jesus 
said, Father, into thy hands I 
commend my spirit; and having 
said this, he gave up the ghost. 

5 But when the centurion saw 
that Jesus thus crying out gave 
up the ghost, he glorified God, 
and said, Of a truth this was a just 
man. 

6 And all the people who stood 
by, were exceedingly troubled at 
the sight; and reflecting upon 
what had passed, smote upon their 
breasts, and then returned to the 
city of Jerusalem. 

7 The centurion went to the 
governor, and related to him all 
that had passed ; 

8 And when he had heard all 
these things, he was exceeding 
sorrowful ; 

9 And calling the Jews toge- 
ther, said to them, Have ye seen 
the miracle of the sun's eclipse, 
and the other things which came 
to pass, while Jesus was dying? 

10 Which when the Jews heard, 
they answered to the governor, 
The eclipse of the sun happened 
according to its usual custom. 

11 But all those who were the 
acquaintance of Christ, stood at a 
distance, as did the women who 
had followed Jesus from Galilee, 
observing all these things. 



1 John xix. 34. 



John xix. 19. 3 Matt. xxvii. 45, &c. 



73 



and his body buried by NICODEMUS. Joseph of Arimathcea. 



12 And ] behold a certain man 
of Arimatlnea, named Joseph, 
who also was a disciple of Jesus, 
but not openly so, for fear of the 
Jews, came to the governor, and 
entreated the governor that he 
would give him leave to take 
away the body of Jesus from the 
cross. 

1 3 And the governor gave him 
leave. 

14 And Nicodemus came, 
bringing with him a mixture of 
myrrh and aloes about a hundred 
pound weight; and they took 

.down Jesus from the cross with 
tears, and bound him with linen 
cloths with spices, according to 
the custom of burying among the 
Jews, 

15 And placed him in a new 
tomb, which Joseph had built, 
aud caused to be cut out of a rock, 
im which never any man had 
been put ; and they rolled a great 
stone to the door of the sepulchre. 

CHAP. IX. 

1 The Jews angry with Nicodemus ; 5 
and with Joseph of Arlmathcea, 7 whom 
they imprison. 

WHEN the unjust Jews heard 
that Joseph had begged 
and buried the body of Jesus, 
they sought after .Nicodemus ; 
and those fifteen men w r ho had 
testified before the Governor, 
that Jesus was not born through 
fornication, and other good per- 
sons who had shewn any good 
actions towards him. 

2 But wdien they all concealed 
themselves through fear of the 
Jews Nicodemus alone shewed 
himself to them, and said, How 
can such persons as these enter 
into the synagogue ? 



3 The Jews answered him, 
But how durst thou enter into 
the synagogue who wast a con- 
federate with Christ? Let thy 
lot be along with him in the other 
world. 

4 Nicodemus answered, Amen ; 
so may it be, that I may have my 
lot with him in his kingdom. 

5 In like manner Joseph, when 
he cameto the Jews, said to the m 
Why are ye angry with me for 
desiring the body of Jesus of Pi- 
late? Behold, I have put him in 
my tomb, and wrapped him up in 
clean linen, and put a stone at the 
door of the sepulchre : 

6 I have acted rightly towards 
him ; but ye have acted unjustly 
aginst that just person, in cruci- 
fying him, giving him vinegar to 
drink, crowning him with thorns, 
tearing his body with whips, and 
prayed down the guilt of his blood 
upon you. 

7 The Jews at the hearing of 
this were disquieted, and trou- 
bled; and they seized Joseph, 
and commanded him to be put in 
custody before the sabbath, and 
kept there till the sabbath was 
over. 

8 And they said to him, Make 
confession ; for at this time it is 
not lawful to do thee any harm, 
till the first day of the week come. 
But w T e know that thou wilt not 
be thought worthy of a burial ; 
but we will give thy flesh to the 
birds of the air, and the beasts of 
the earth. 

9 Joseph answered, That 
speech is like the speech of proud 
Goliath, who reproached the liv- 
ing God in speaking against Da- 
vid. But ye scribes and doctors 
know that God saith by the pro- 
phet, Vengeance is mine, and I 



1 John xix. 38. 



74 



Joseph of A. imprisoned. NICODEMUS. 



Christ rises again 



will repay to you l evil equal to went forth, and while they were 
that which ye have threatened to all admiring at Joseph's being 
iri3. gone, behold one of the soldiers, 

10 The God whom you have who kept the sepulchre of Jesus, 
hanged upon the cross, is able to spake in the assembly. 
deliver m3 out of your hands. 3 That 2 while they were guard- 
All your wickedness will return ing the sepulchre of Jesus, there 
upon you. I was an earthquake ; and we saw 

11 For the governor, when he an angel of God roll away the 
washed his hands, said, I am clear stone of the sepulchre and 3 sit 
from the blood of this just person, upon it ; 



Bat ye answered and cried out, 
His blood be upon us and our 
children. According as ye have 
said, may ye perish for ever. 

12 The eiders of the Jews hear- 
ing these words, were exceedingly 
enraged ; and seizing Joseph, 
they put him into a chamber 
where there was no window ; they 
fastened the door, and put a seal 
upon the lock ; 

13 And Annas and Caiaphas 



4 And his countenance was 
like lightning and his garment 
like snow ; and we became 
through fear like persons dead. 

5 And we heard an angel say- 
ing to the women at the sepul- 
chre of Jesus, Do not fear; I 
know that you seek Jesus who 
was crucified ; he is risen as he 
foretold. 

6 Come and see the place 
where he was laid 



;e ne was una; and go pre- 
placed a guard upon it, and took sently, and tell his disciples that 
counsel with the priests and Le- , he is risen from the dead, and he 
vites, that they should all meet | will go before you into Galilee ; 
after the sabbath, and they con- ! there ye shall see him as he told 
t rived to what death they should you. 

put Joseph. 7 Then the Jews called toge- 

14 When they had done this, ther all the soldiers who kept the 
the rulers, Annas and Caiaphas, sepulchre of Jesus, and said to 
ordered Joseph to be brought them, Who are those women, to 
forth. i whom the angel spoke ? Why did 

1 In this place there is a portion ye not^seize them? 

of the Gospel lost or omitted, 

which cannot be supplied. 



CHAP. X. 

Joseph's escape. 2 The soldiers relate 
Chr is? s resumption. 18 Christ is seen 
preaching in Galilee. 21 The Jews re- 
pent of their cruelty to him. 



8 The soldiers answered and 
said, We know not whom the wo- 
men were ; besides we became as 
dead persons through fear, and 
how could we seize those women ? 

9 The Jews said to them, As 
the Lord liveth we do not believe 



you. 

WHEN all the assembly 10 The soldiers answering said 
heard this, they admired to the Jews, when ye saw and 
and were astonished, because they heard Jesus working so many 
found the same seal upon the miracles, and did not believe him, 
lock of the chamber, and could how should ye believe us ? Ye 
not find Joseph. well said, As the Lord liveth, for 

2 Then Annas and Caiaphas the Lord truly does live. 

1 Dent, xxxii. 35 ; Heb. x. 40 2 Matt, xxviii. 11, 12, &c. 
3 Matt, xxviii. 1, 2, &c. 

75 



and preaches in Galilee. NICODEMUS. 



The Jews n 



1 1 We have heard that ve shut 
up Joseph, who buried the body 
of Jesus, iu a chamber, under a 

lock which was sealed; and when 
ye opeued it, fouud him uot 
there. 

12 Do ye then produce Joseph 
whom ye put under guard in the 
chamber, aud we will produce 
Jesus whom we guarded in the 
sepulchre. 

13 The Jews answered and 
said, We will produce Joseph, 
do ye produce Jesus. But Jo- 
seph is in his own city of Ari- 
mathaea. 

14 The soldiers replied, If Jo- 
seph be in Arimathsea, and Jesus 
in Galilee, we heard the angel in- 
form the women. 

15 The Jews hearing this, were 
afraid, and said among them- 
selves, If by any means these 
things should become public, 
then every body will believe in 
Jesus. 

16 Then they gathered a large 
sum of money, and gave it to the 
soldiers, saying, Do ye tell the 
people that the disciples of Jesus 
came in the night when ye were 
asleep and stole away the body 
of Jesus ; and if Pilate the gover- 
nor should hear of this, we will 
satisfy him and secure you. 

17 The soldiers accordingly 
took the money, and said as they 
were instructed by the Jews; and 
their report was spread abroad 
among all the people. 

18 If But a certain priest Phi- 
nees, Ada a schoolmaster, and a 
Levite, named Ageus, they three 
came from Galilee to Jerusalem, 
and told the chief priests and all 
who were in the synagogues, say- 
ing, 

19 We have seen Jesus, whom 
ye crucified, talking with his 
eleven disciples, and sitting in the 

1 Matt, xxviii. 16, 
76 



midst of them in Mount Olivet, 
and saying to them, 1 

20 Go forth into the whole 
world, preach the Gospel to all 
nations, baptizing them in the 
name of the Father, and the Son, 
and the Holy Ghost ; and whoso- 
ever shall believe and be baptiz- 
ed, shall be saved. 

21 And when he had said these 
things to his disciples, we saw 
him ascending up to heaven. 

22 When the chief priests, and 
elders, and Levites heard these 
things, they said to these three 
men, Give glory to the God of 
Israel, and make confession to 
him, whether those things are 
true, which ye say ye have seen 
and heard. 

23 They answering said, As 
the Lord of our lathers live th, the 
God of Abraham, and the God of 
Isaac, and the God of Jacob, ac- 
cording as we heard Jesus talk- 
ing with his disciples, and accord- 
ing as we saw him ascending up 
to heaven, so we have related the 
truth to you. 

24 And the three men farther 
answered, and said, adding these 
words, If we should not own the 
words which we heard Jesus 
speak, and that we saw him as- 

1 cending into heaven, we should 
' be guilty of sin. 

25 Then the chief priests im- 
mediately rose up, and holding 
the book of the law in their 
hands, conjured these men, say- 
ing, Ye shall no more heieafter 
declare those things which ve 
have spoke concerning Jesus. 

26 And they gave them a 
large sum of money, and sent 
other persons along with them, 
who should conduct them to 
their own country, that they 
might not by any means make 
any stay at Jerusalem. 

and Mark xvi. 16. 



Joseph ofArimathcea NICODEMUS. 



invited by the Jews 



27 Then the Jews did assem- 
ble all together, and having ex- 
pressed the most lamentable 
concern, said, What is this ex- 
traordinary thing which is come 
to pass in Jerusalem ? 

28 But Annas and Caiaphas 
comforted them, saying, Why 
should we believe the soldiers 
who guarded the sepulchre of 
Jesus, in telling us, that an angel 
rolled away the stone from the 
door of the sepulchre ? 

29 Perhaps his own disciples 
told them this, and gave them 
money that they should say so, 
and they themselves took away 
the body of Jesus. 

30 Besides, consider this, that 
there is no credit to be given to 
foreigners, 1 because they also 
took a large sum of us, and they 
have declared to us according to 
the instructions which we gave 
them. They must either be 
faithful to us, or tti the disciples 
of Jesus. 

CHAP. XI. 

1 Nicodemus counsels the Jews. 6 
Joseph found. 11 Invited by the 
Jews to return. 19 Relates the man- 
ner of his miraculous escape. 

TTEN Nicodemus arose, and 
said, Ye say right, O sons 
of Israel, ye have heard what 
those three men have sworn by 
the Law of God, who said, We 
have seen Jesus speaking with 
his disciples upon Mount Olivet, 
and we saw him ascending up 
to heaven. 

2 And the scripture teacheth 
us that the blessed prophet Eli- 
jah was taken up to heaven ; and 
Elisha being asked by the sons 
of the prophets, Where is our 
father Elijah ? He said to them, 
that he is taken up to heaven, 

3 And the sons of the prophets 



said to him, Perhaps the spirit 
hath carried him into one of the 
mountains of Israel, there per- 
haps we shall find him. And they 
besought Elisha, and he walked 
about with them three days, 
and they could not find him. 

4 And now hear me, O sons 
of Israel, and let us send men 
into the mountains of Israel, lest 
perhaps the spirit hath carried 
away Jesus, and there perhaps we 
shall find him, and be satisfied. 

5 And the counsel of Nicode- 
mus pleased all the people ; and 
they sent forth men who sought 
for Jesus, but could not find 
him: and they returning, said, 
We went all about, but could not 
find Jesus, but we have found 
Joseph in his city of Arimathea. 

6 The rulers hearing this, and 
all the people, were glad, and 
praised the God of Israel, be- 
cause Joseph was found, whom 
they had shut up in a chamber, 
and could not find. 

7 And when they had formed 
a large assembly, the chief priests 
said, By what means shall w T e 
bring Joseph to us to speak with 
him ? 

8 And taking a piece of pa- 
per, they wrote to him, and said, 
Peace be with thee, and all thy 
family. We know that we have 
offended against God and thee. 
Be pleased to give a visit to us 
your fathers, for we were per- 
fectly surprised at your escape 
from prison. 

9 We know that it was mali- 
cious counsel which we took 
against thee, and that the Lord 
took care of thee, and the Lord 
himself delivered thee from our 
designs. Peace be unto thee, Jo- 
seph, who art honourable among 
all the people. 

10 And they chose seven of 



1 Heathens. 



77 



to it late the 



NICODEMUS. manner <>f his escape. 



Joseph's friends, and said to 
them, When ye come to Joseph, 
salute him in peace, and give 

him this letter. 

11 Accordingly, when the men 
came to Joseph, they did salute 
him in peace, and gave him the 
letter. 

12 And when Joseph had read 
it, he said, Blessed be the Lord 
God, who didst deliver me from 
the Israelites, that they could 
not shed my blood. Blessed be 
God, who has protected me un- 
der thy wings. 

13 And Joseph kissed them, 
and took them into his house. 
And on the morrow, Joseph 
mounted his ass, and went along 
with them to Jerusalem. 

14 And when all the Jews 
heard these things, they went 
out to meet him, and cried out, 
saying, Peace attend thy coming 
hither, father Joseph. 

15 To which he answered, 
Prosperity from the Lord attend 
all the people. 

16 And they all kissed him; 
and Nicodemus took him to his 
house, having prepared a .large 
entertainment. 

17 But on the morrow, being 
a preparation-day, Annas, and 
Caiaphas, and Nicodemus, said 
to Joseph, Make confession to 
the God of Israel and answer to 
us all those questions which we 
shall ask thee ; 

18 For we have been very 
much troubled, that thou didst 
bury the body of Jesus; and that 
when we had locked thee in a 
chamber, we could not find thee; 
and we have been afraid ever 
since, till this time of thy appear- 
ing: among us. Tell us therefore 
before God, all that came to pass. 

19 Then Joseph answering, 
said, Ye did indeed put me un- 

78 



der confinement, on the day of 
preparation, till the morning. 

20 But while I was standing 
at prayer in the middle of the 
night, the house was surrounded 
with four angels ; and I saw- 
Jesus as the brightness of the 
sun, and fell down upon the 
earth for fear. 

21 But Jesus laying hold on 
my hand, lifted me from the 
ground, and the dew was then 
sprinkled upon me ; but he, 
wiping my face, kissed me, and 
said unto me. Fear not, Joseph ; 
look upon me, for it is I. 

22 Then I looked upon him, 
and said, Rabboni Elias ! Ee 
answered me, I am Dot Elias, 
but Jesus of Nazareth, whose 
body thou didst bury. 

23 I said to him, Shew me 
the tomb in which I laid thee. 

24 Then Jesus, taking me by 
the hand, led me unto the place 
where I laid him, and shewed 
me the linen clothes, and napkin 
which I put round his head. 
Then I knew that it was Jesus, 
and worshipped him, and said, 
Blessed be he who cometh in the 
name of the Lord. 

25 Jesus again taking me by 
the hand, led me to Arimathrca 
to my own house, and said to me, 
Peace be to thee ; but go not out 
of thy house till the fortieth day ; 
but I must go to my disciples. 

CHAP. XII. 

1 The Jews astonished and confounded. 
17 Simeon's (wo sons, Char inns and 
Lenthius, rite from the dead at Christ's 
crn.fi fix ion. 19 Joseph proposes to get 
them to relate the mysteries of their re- 
surrection. 21 They are sought and 
found, 22 brought to (he synagogue, 23 
privately sworn to secrecy, 25 and un- 
dertake to write what they had seen. 

WHEN the chief priests and 
Levites heard all these 



' 




ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. [Page 119. 

*ROM A TRIPTYCHON BY AN ITALIAN PAINTER CF THE THIR 
TEENTH OR FOURTEENTH CENTURY. 



who rose with Christy NICODEMUS. relates his descent to hell. 



<jome, and hath enlightened us ] to acquaint you, that the Son of 
who sat in death. ! God will next visit us, and, as 

7 And while we were all re- j the day-spring from on high, 



will come to us, who are in dark- 
ness and the shadow of death. 

CHAP. XIV. 

I 1 Adorn causes Seth to relate what he 
heard from Michael the archangel, 
when he sent him to Paradise to en- 
treat God to anoint his head in his 
sickness. 

BUT when the first man our 
father Adam heard these 
things, that Jesus was baptized 



joicing in the light which shone 
upon us, our father Simeon came 
among us, and congratulating all 
the company, said, Glorify the 
Lord Jesus Christ the Son of 
God. 

8 Whom I took up in my 
arms when an infant in the tem- 
ple, and being moved by the 
Holy Ghost, said to him, and 
acknowledged, 1 That now mine 
eyes have seen thy salvation, 
which thou hast prepared before j in Jordan, 2 he called out to his 



the face of all people, a light to 
enlighten the Gentiles and the 
glory ot* thy people Israel. 

9 All the saints who were in 
the depth of hell, hearing this, 
rejoiced the more. 

10 Afterwards there came 
forth one like a little hermit, 
and was asked by every one, 
Who art thou ? 

11 To which he replied, I am 
the voice of one crying in the 



son, Seth, and said, 

2 Declare to your sons, the 
patriarchs and prophets, all those 
things, which thou didst hear 
from Michael, the archangel, 
when I sent thee to the gates of 
Paradise, to entreat God that he 
would anoint my head when I 
was sick. 

3 Then Seth, coming near to 
the patriarchs and prophets,, 
said, I Seth, when I was pray- 



wilderness, John the Baptist, and ing to God at the gates of Para- 
the prophet of the Most High, j dise, beheld the angel of the 
who went before his coming to ! Lord, Michael appear unto me 
prepare his way, to give the saying, I am sent unto thee from 



knowledge of salvation to his 
people for the forgiveness of sins. 
12 And I John, when I saw 
Jesus coming to me, being moved 
by the Holy Ghost, I said, Be- 
hold the Lamb of God, behold 



the Lord ; I am appointed to 
preside over human bodies. 

4 I tell thee Seth, do not pray 
to God in tears, and entreat him 
for the oil of the tree of mercy 
wherewith to anoint thy father 



Him who takes away the sins of ; Adam for his head-ache ; 
the world. 5 Because thou canst not by 

13 And I baptized him in the ) any means obtain it till the last 
river Jordan, and saw the Holy | day and times, namely, till five 
Ghost descending upon him in thousand and five hundred years 
the form of a dove, and heard a I be past. 



voice from heaven, saying, This 
is my beloved Son, in whom I 
am well pleased. 

14 And now while I was going 
before him, I came down hither 



6 Then will Christ, the most 
merciful Son of God, come on 
earth to raise again the human 
body of Adam, and at the same 
time to raise the bodies of the 



1 Luke ii. 29. 



2 Matt. iii. 13. 



81 



Satan and tiie Prince NICODEMUS. 



of hell quarrel. 



tdead, and when he comcth he 
.will be baptized in Jordan : 

7 Then with the oil of his 
.mercy he will anoint all those 
who believe on him ; and the oil 
of his mercy will continue to 
future generations, for those who 
shall be born of the water and 
the Holy Ghost unto eternal life. 

8 And when at that time the 
.most merciful 8011 of God, Christ 

Jesus, shall come down on earth, 
he will introduce our father 
.Adam into Paradise, to the tree 
■ of mercy. 

9 When all the patriarchs and 
prophets heard all these things 
.from Seth, they rejoiced more. 

CHAP. XV. 

3. Quarrel between Satan and the prince 
of hcil concerning the expected arrival 
of Christ in hell. 

WHILE all the saints were 
rejoicing, behold Satan, 
the prince and captain of death, 
said to the prince of hell, 1 

2 Prepare to receive Jesus of 
Nazareth himself, who boasted 
that he was the Son of God, and 
yet was a man afraid of death, 
and said, 2 My soul is sorrowful 
even to death. 

3 Besides he did many inju- 
ries to me and to many others ; 
for those whom I made blind 
and lame and those also whom I 
tormented with several devils, 
he cured by his word ; yea, and 
those whom I brought dead to 
thee, he by foree takes away 
from thee. 

4 To this the prince of hell 
replied to Satan, Who is that so- 
powerful prince, and yet a man 
who is afraid of death ? 

5 For all the potentates of 
the earth are subject to my 



power, whom thou broughtest t« 
subjection by thy power. 

6 But if he be so powerful in 
his human nature, 1 affirm to 
thee for truth, that he is almighty 
in his divine nature, and no man 
can resist his power. 

7 When therefore he said he 
was afraid of death, he designed 
to ensnare thee, and unhappy it 
will be to thee for everlasting 
ages. 

8 Then Satan replying, said 
to the prince of hell, Why didst 
thou express a doubt, and wast 
afraid to receive that Jesus of 
Nazareth, both thy adversary 
and mine'/ 

9 As for me, I tempted him 
and stirred up my old people 
the Jews with zeal and anger 
against him ? 

10 I sharpened the spear for 
his suffering ; I mixed the gall 
and vinegar, and commanded 
that he should drink it ; I pre- 
pared the cross to crucify him, 
and the nails to pierce through , 
his hands and feet ; and now his 
death is near at hand, I will 
bring him hither, subject both to 
thee and me. 

11 Then the prince of hell an- 
swering, said, Thou saidst to me 
just now, that he took away the \ 
dead from me by force. 

12 They who have been kept 
here till they should live again 
upon earth, were taken away I 
hence, not by their own power, 
but by prayers made to God, and 
their almighty God took them 
from me. 

13 Who then is that Jesus of 
Nazareth that by his word hath 
taken away the dead from me 
without prayer to God ? 

14 Perhaps it is the same who 



1 St. Jerome affirms that the soul of Christ went to hell. 

2 Matt. xxvi. 38. 

82 



(vkrist arrives at hell, NICODEMTJS. and Satan is expelled. 



to' ok away from me Lazarus, after 
heS had been four days dead, aud 
did both stink and was rotten, and 
of whom I had possession as a 
dead person, yet he brought him 
< ie life again by his power. 
tf> r 15 Satan answering, replied to 
the prince of hell, It is the very 
sani3 person, Jesus of Nazareth. 

16 Which when the prince of 
hell heard, he said to him, I ad- 
jure thee by the powers which 
belong to thee and me, that thou 
bring him not to me. 

17 For when I heard of the 
power of his word, I trembled for 
fear, and all my impious company 
were at the same time disturbed ; 

18 And we were not able to 
detain Lazarus, 1 but he gave him- 
self a shake, and with all the 
signs of malice, he immediately 
went away from us ; and the 
very earth, in which the dead 
body of Lazarus was lodged, 
presently turned him out alive. 

19 And I know now that he is 
Almighty God who could per- 
form such things, who is mighty 
in his dominion, and mighty in 
his human nature, who is the 
Saviour of mankind. 

20 Bring not therefore this 
person hither, for he will set at 
liberty all those whom I hold in 
prison under unbelief, and bound 
with the fetters of their sins, and 
will conduct them to everlasting 
life. 

CHAP. XVI. 

1 Christ's arrival at hell-gates ; the con- 
fusion thereupon. 10 He descends 
into hell. 



AND while Satan and the 
prince of hell were dis- 
coursing thus to each other, on a 
sudden there was a voice as of 
thunder and the rushing of winds, 



saying, 2 Lift up your gates, O ye 
princes; and be ye lift up, O 
everlasting gates, and the King 
of Glory shall come in. 

2 When the prince of hell 
heard this, he said to Satan, De- 
part from me, and begone out of 
my habitations ; if thou art a 
powerful warrior, fight with the 
King of Glory. But what hast 
thou to do with him? 

3 And he cast him forth from 
his habitations. 

4 And the prince said to his 
impious officers, Shut the brass 
gates of cruelty, and make them 
fast with iron bars, and fight 
courageously, lest we be taken 
captives. 

5 But when all the company of 
the saints heard this they spake 
with a loud voice of anger to the 
prince of hell : 

6 Open thy gates that the 
King of Glory may come in. . 

7 And the divine prophet Da- 
vid, cried out saying, 3 Did not I 
when on earth truly prophesy 
and say, O that men would praise 
the Lord for his goodness, and 
for his wonderful works to the 
children of men. 

8 For he hath broken the gates 
of brass, and cut the bars of iron 
in sunder. He hath taken them 
because of their iniquity, and 
because of their unrighteousness 
they are afflicted. 

9 After this another prophet, 1 
namely, holy Isaiah, spake in like 
manner to all the saints, did not 
I rightly prophesy to you when I 
was alive on earth ? 

10 The dead men shall live, 
and they shall rise again who are 
in their graves, and they shall 
rejoice who are in earth ; for the 
dew which is from the Lord shall 
bring deliverance to them. 



John xi. 2 Psalm xxiv. 7, &c. 



Psalm cvii. 15, <&c. 4 Isaiah xxvi. 19. 

83 



) 



Hell greatly disturbed on NICODKM I FS. ChrUtfa yoinrj thitl: er. 



11 And I said in another place, 
() death, where is thy victory? 

death, where is thy sting ? 

12 When all the saints heard 
these things spoken by Isaiah, 
they said to the prince of hell, 1 
Open now thy gates, and take 
away thine iron bars; for thou 
wilt now be bound, and have no 
power. 

13 Then there was a great 
voice, as of the sound of thunder 
saying, Lift up your gates, O 
princes ; and be ye lifted up, ye 
gates of hell, and the King of 
Glory will enter in. 

14 The prince of hell perceiv- 
ing the same voice repeated, cried 
out as though he had been ignor- 
ant, Who is that King of Glory? 

15 David replied to the prince 
of hell, and said, I understand 
the words of that voice, because 

1 spake them by his spirit. And 
now, as I have above said, I say 
unto thee, the Lord strong and 
powerful, the Lord mighty in 
battle : he is the King of Glory, 
and he is the Lord in heaven and 
in earth ; 

16 He hath looked down to 
hear the groans of the prisoners, 
and to set loose those that are 
appointed to death. 1 

17 And now, thou filthy and 
stinking prince of hell, open thy 
gates, that the King of Glory 
may enter in ; for he is the Lord j 
of heaven and earth. 

18 While David was saying j 
this, the mighty Lord appeared 
in the form of a man, and en- 1 
lightened those places which had | 
ever before been in darkness, 

19 And broke asunder the fet- 
ters which before could not be 
broken ; and with his invincible 
power visited those who sate in ' 



the deep darkness by iniquity, 
and the shadow of death by si n. 3 

CHAP. XVII. 

1 Death and the devils in great horn * ni 
Christ's coming. 13 lie trample % 
death, seizes the prince of hell, anu, 
takes Adam with him to heaven. 

IMPIOUS Death and her cruel 
officers hearing these things, 
were seized with fear in their se- 
veral kingdoms, when they saw 
the clearness of the light, 

2 And Christ himself on a 
sudden appearing in their habi- 
tations; they cried out therefore, 
and said, We are bound by thee ; 
thou seemest to intend our con- 
fusion before the Lord. 

3 Who art thou, who hast no 
sign of corruption, but that 
bright appearance which is a full 
proof of thy greatness, of which 
yet thou seemest to take no 
notice ? 

4 Who art thou, so powerful 
and so w T eak, so great and so lit- 
tle, a mean and yet a soldier of 
the first rank, who can com- 
mand in the form of a servant 
as a common soldier? 

5 The King of Glory, dead 
and alive, though once slain 
upon the cross ? 

6 Who lay est dead in the 
grave, and art come down alive 
to us, and in thy death all the 
creatures trembled, and all the 
stars were moved, and now hast 
thou thy liberty among the dead, 
and givest disturbance to our 
legions ? 

7 Who art thou, who dost re- 
lease the captives that were held 
in chains by original sin, and 
bringest them into their former 
liberty ? 

8 Who art thou, who dost 



1 Psalm xxiv. 7, &c. 
84 



2 Psalm cii. 19, 20. 



3 Luke i. 79. 



C.-rist gives Beelzebub NICODEMUS. dominion ovzr Satan. 



spread so glorious and divine a 
light over those who were made 
blind by the darkness of sin ? 

9 In like manner all the le- 
gions of devils were seized with 
the like horror, and with the 
most submissive fear cried out, 
and said, 

10 Whence comes it, O thou 
Jesus Christ, that thou art a 
man so powerful and glorious in 
majesty, so bright as to have no 
spot, and so pure as to have no 
crime ? For that lower world 
of earth, which was ever till 
now subject to us, and from 
whence we received tribute, nev- 
er sent Us such a dead man be- 
fore, never sent such presents as 
these to the princes of hell. 

11 Who therefore art thou, 
who with such courage enterest 
among our abodes, and art not 
only not afraid to threaten us 
with the greatest punishments, 
but also endeavourest to rescue 
all others from the chains in 
which we hold them? 

12 Perhaps thou art that 
Jesus, of whom Satan just now 
spoke to our prince, that by the 
death of the cross thou wert 
about to receive the power of 
death. 

13 Then the King of Glory 
trampling upon death, seized 
the prince of hell, deprived him 
of all his power, and took our 
earthly father Adam with him to 
his glory. 

CHAR XVIII. 

1 Beelzebub, prince of hell, vehemently 
upbraids Satan for persecuting Christ 
an! brinqinq him to hell. 4. Christ 
gives Beelzebub dominion over Sdan 
for ever, as a recompense for taking 
away Adam and his sons. 

THEN the prince of hell took 
Satan, and with great in- 
dignation said to him, O thou 
prince of destruction, author of 



Beelzebub's defeat and banish- 
ment, the scorn of God's angels 
and loathed by all righteous 
persons ! What inclined thee 
to act thus ? 

2 Thou wouldst crucify the 
King of Glory, and by his de- 
struction, hast made us promises 
of very large advantages, but as 
a fool wert ignorant of what 
thou wast about. 

3 For behold now that Jesus 
of Nazareth, with the brightness 
of his glorious divinity, puts to 
flight all the horrid powers of 
darkness and death ; 

4 He has broke down our pri- 
sons from top to bottom, dis- 
missed all the captives, released 
all who were bound, and all 
who were wont formerly to groan 
under the weight of their tor- 
ments have now insulted us, and 
we are like to be defeated by their 
prayers. 

5 Our impious dominions are 
subdued, and no part of man- 
kind is now left in our subjec- 
tion, but on the other hand, they 
all boldly defy us ; 

6 Though, before, the dead 
never durst behave themselves 
insolently towards us, nor, being 
prisoners, could ever on any oc- 
casion be merry. 

7 Tf O Satan, thou prince of 
all the wicked, father of the im- 
pious and abandoned, why 
wouldest thou attempt this ex- 
ploit, seeing our prisoners were 
hitherto always without the least 
hopes of salvation and life ? 

8 But now there is not one of 
them does ever groan, nor is 
there the least appearance of a 
tear in any of their faces. 

9 O prince Satan, thou great 
keeper of the infernal regions, 
all thy advantages which thou 
didst acquire by the forbidden 
tree, and the loss of Paradise, 

85 



Leaves hell and takes NICODEMUS. 



the saints with him. 



thou hast now lost by the wood 
of the cross ; 

10 And thy happiness all 
then expired, when thou didst 
crucify Jesus Christ the King of 
Glory. 

11 Thou hast acted against 
thine own interest and mine, as 
thou wilt presently perceive by 
those large torments and infinite 
punishments which thou art 
about to suffer. 

12 Satan, prince of all evil, 
author of death, and source of 
all pride, thou shouldest first 
have inquired into the evil 
crimes of Jesus of Nazareth, 
and then thou wouldest have 
found that he was guilty of no 
fault worthy of death. 

13 Why didst thou venture, 
without either reason or justice, 
to crucify him, and hast brought 
down to our regions a person in- 
nocent and righteous, and there- 
by hast lost all the sinners, im- 
pious and unrighteous persons in 
the whole world ? 

14 While the prince of hell 
was thus speaking to Satan, the 
King of Glory said to Beelze- 
bub, the prince of hell, Satan, 
the prince shall be subject to 
thy dominion for ever, in the 
room of Adam and his right- 
eous sons, who are mine. 

CHAP. XIX. 

1 Christ takes Adam by the hand, the 
rest of the saints join hands, and they 
all ascend with him to Paradise. 

THEN Jesus stretched forth 
his hand, and said, Come 
to me, all ye my saints, who 
were created in my image, who 
were condemned by the tree of 
forbidden fruit, and by the devil 
and death ; 



2 Live now by the wood! of 
my cross; the devil, the prince 
of this world, is overcome, and 
death is conquered. 

3 Then presently all the saints 
were joined together under the 
hand of the most high God ; 
and the Lord Jesus laid hold on 
Adam's hand and said to him, 
Peace be to thee, and all thy 
righteous posterity, which is 
mine. 

4 Then Adam, casting him- 
self at the feet of Jesus, ad- 
dressed himself to him, with 
tears, in humble language, and , 
a loud voice, saying, 1 

5 I will extol thee, O Lord, 
for thou hast lifted me up, and 
hast not made my foes to rejoice 
over me. O Lord my God, I 
cried unto thee, and thou hast 
healed me. 

6 O Lord thou hast brought 
up my soul from the grave; 
thou hast kept me alive, that I 
should not go down to the pit. 

7 Sing unto the Lord, all ye 
saints of his, and give thanks at 
the remembrance of his holiness. 
For his anger endureth but for 
a moment ; in his favour is life. 

8 In like manner all the saints, 
prostrate at the feet of Jesus, 
said with one voice, Thou art 
come, O Redeemer of the world, 
and hast actually accomplished 
all things, which thou didst fore- 
tell by the law and thy holy 
prophets. 

9 Thou hast redeemed the liv- 
ing by thy cross, and art come 
down to us, that by the death 
of the cross thou mightest de- 
liver us from hell, and by thy 
power from death. 

10 O, Lord, as thou hast put 
the ensigns of thy glory in hea- 
ven, and hast set up the sign of 



1 Psalm xxx. 1, &c. 



86 



Adam converses 



NICODEMUS. 



with Enoch, &c. 



thy redemption, even thy cross 
on earth ! so, Lord, set the sign 
of the victory of thy cross in 
hell, that death may have do- 
minion no longer. 

11 Then the Lord stretching 
forth his hand, made the sign of 
the cross upon Adam, and upon 
all his saints. 

12 And taking hold of Adam 
by his right hand, he ascended 
from hell, and all the saints of 
Goi followed him. 

13 Then the royal prophet 
David boldly cried, and said, 1 

sing unto the Lord a new 
song, for he hath done marvel- 
lous things ; his right hand and 
his holy arm have gotten him 
the victory. 

14 The LDrd hath made 
known his salvation, his right- 
eousness hath he openly shewn 
in the sight of the heathen. 

15 And the whole multitudB 
of saints answered, 1 saying, 2 
This honour have all his saints, 
Amen, Praise ye the Lord. 

16 Afterwards, the prophet 
Habakkuk 3 cried out, and said, 
Thou wentes!: forth for the sal- 
vation of thy people, even for 
the salvation of thy people. 

17 And all the saints said, 4 
Blessed is he who cometh in the 
name of the Lord ; for the Lord 
hath enlightened us. This is 
our God for ever and ever ; he 
shall reign over us to everlasting 
ages, Amen. 

18 In like manner all the 
prophets spake the sacred things 
of his praise, and followed the 
Lord.- 

CHAP. XX. 

1 Christ delivers Adam to Michael the 
archangel. 3. They meet Enoch and 
Elijah in heaven, 5 and also the 



blessed thief, who relates how he came, 
to Paradise. 

THEN the Lord holding Adam 
by the hand, delivered him 
to Michael the archangel ; and 
he led them into Paradise, filled 
with mercy and glory : 

2 And two very ancient men 
met them, and were asked by the 
saints, Who are ye, who have 
not yet been with us in hell, and 
have had your bodies placed in 
Paradise ? 

3 One of them answering, 
said, I am Enoch, who was trans- 
lated by the word of God : 5 and 
this man who is with me, is 
Elijah the Tishbite, who was 
translated in a fiery chariot. 6 

4 Here we have hitherto been, 
and have not tasted death, but 
are now about to return at the 
coming of Antichrist, being 
armed with divine signs and 
miracles, to engage with him in 
battle, and to be slain by him at 
Jerusalem, and to be taken up 
alive again into the clouds, after 
three days and a half. 7 

5 If And while the holy 
Enoch and Elias were relating 
this, behold there came another 
man in a miserable figure carry- 
ing the sign of the cross upon 
his shoulders. 

6 And when all the saints saw 
him, they said to him, Who art 
thou? For thy countenance is 
like a thief's ; and why dost 
thou carry a ,cross upon thy 
shoulders ? 

7 To which he answering, said, 
Ye say right, for I was a thief, 
who committed all sorts of wick- 
edness upon earth. 

8 And the Jews crucified me 
with Jesus ; and I observed the 
surprising things which hap- 



1 Psalm xcviii. 1, &o. 2 Psalm cxlix. 2. 3 Hab. hi. 13. 4 Matt, xxiii. 39. 
5 Gen. v. 24. 6 Kings ii. 11. 7 Kev. xi. 11. 

87 



Blessed thief s story, NICODEMUS how he came to Paradise,. 



pened in the creation at the cru- 
cifixion of the Lord Jesus. 

9 And I believed him to be 
the Creator of all things, and the 
Almighty King ; and 1 prayed 
to him, saying, Lord, remember 
me, when thou comest into thy 
kingdom. 

10 He presently regarded my 
supplication, and said to me, 
Verily I say unto thee, this day 
thou shalt be with me in Para- 
dise. 1 

11 And he gave me this sign 
of the cross saying, Carry this, 
and go to Paradise ; and if the 
angel who is the guard of Para- 
dise will not admit thee, shew 
him the sign of the cross, and 
say unto him : Jesus Christ who 
is now crucified, hath sent me 
hither to thee. 

12 When I did this, and told 
the angel who is the guard of 
Paradise all these things, and he 
heard them, he presently opened 
the gates, introduced me, and 
placed me on the right-hand in 
Paradise, 

13 Saying, Stay here a little 
time, till Adam, the father of all 
mankind, shall enter in, with all 
his sons, who are the holy and 
righteous servants of Jesus 
Christ, who was crucified. 

14 When they heard all this 
account from the thief, all the 
patriarchs said with one voice, 
Blessed be thou, O Almighty 
God, the Father of everlasting ■ 
goodness, and the Father of mer- j 
cies, who hast shewn such favour 
to those who were sinners against 
him, and hast brought them to 
the mercy of Paradise, and hast 
placed them amidst thy large 
and spiritual provisions, in a 
spiritual and holy life. Amen. 



CHAP. XXI. 

1 Ckarinus and Lent hi us being only 
allowed three days to remain on with. 
7 deliver in their narrative*, which 
miraculously correspond; they vanish, 
13 and PttaU records these transac- 
tions. 

THESE are the divine and 
sacred mysteries which we 
saw and heard. I, Charinus and 
Lenthius are not allowed to de- 
clare the other mysteries of God, 
as the archangel Michael ordered 
us, 

2 Saying, ye shall go with my 
brethren to Jerusalem, and shall 
continue in prayers, declaring 
and glorifying the resurrection 
of Jesus Christ, seeing he hath 
raised you from the dead at the 
same time with himself. 

3 And ye shall not talk with 
any man, but sit as dumb per- 
sons till the time come when the 
Lord will allow you to relate 
the mysteries of his divinity. 

4 The archangel Michael far- 
ther commanded us to go beyond 
Jordan, to an excellent and fat 
country, where there are many 
who rose from the dead along 
with us for the proof of the resur- 
rection of Christ. 

5 For we have only three days 
allowed us from the dead, who 
arose to celebrate the passover 
of our Lord with our parents, and 
to bear our testimony for Christ 
the Lord, and we have been 
baptized in the holy river of 
Jordan. And now they are not 
seen by any one. 

6 This is as much as God al- 
lowed us to relate to you ; give ye 
therefore praise and honour to 
him, and repent, and he will have 
mercy upon you. Peace be to 
you from the Lord God Jesus 



1 Luke xxiii. 43. 



88 




THE -APTISM CF CHRIST IN THE JORDAN. --59. 

FROM A " ROOK OF THE EVANGELISTS." GREEK MANUSCRIPT OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY. 



Charinus and Lenthius NICODEMUS. conclude their visit 



Christ, and the Saviour of us all. 
Auieu, Amen, Amen. 

7 And after they had made an 
end of writing and had wrote in 
two distinct pieces of paper, Cha- 
rinus gave what he wrote into the 
hands of Annas, and Caiaphas, 
and Gamaliel. 

8 Lenthius likewise gave what 
he wrote into the hands of ISHco- 
demus and Joseph ; and immedi- 
ately they were changed into 
exceeding white forms and were 
seen no more. 

9 But what they had wrote was 
found perfectly to agree, the one 
not containing one letter more or 
less than the other. 

10 When all the assembly of 
the Jews heard all these surpris- 
ing relations of Charinus and 
Lenthius, they said to each 
other, Truly all these things were 
wrought by God, and blessed be 
the Lord Jesus for ever and 
ever, Amen. 

11 And they went about with 
great concern, and fear, and trem- 
bling, and smote upon their 
breasts and went away every one 
to his home. 

12 But immediately all these 
things which were related by the 
Jews in their synagogues con- 
cerning Jesus, were presently 
told by Joseph and Nicudemus 
to the governor. 

1 3 And Pilate wrote down all 
these transactions, and placed all 
these accounts in the public re- 
cords of his hall. 



CHAP. XXII. 

I Pilate goes to the temple ; calls together 
the rulers, and scribes, and doctors. 2 
Commands the gates to be shut ; orders 
the book of the Scripture ; and causes 
the Jews to relate what they really 
knew concerning Christ. 14 They 
declare that they crucified Christ in 
ignorance, and that they now know 



him to be the Son of God, according 
to the testimony of the Scriptures; 
which, after they put him to death, they 
are examined. 

AFTER these things Pilate 
went to the temple of the 
Jews, and called together all the 
rulers and scribes, and doctors of 
the law, and went with them into 
a chapel of the temple. 

2 And commanding that all the 
gates should be shut, said to them, 
I have heard that ye have a cer- 
tain large book in this temple ; 
I desire you therefore, that it 
may be brought before me. 

3 And when the great book, 
carried by four ministers of the 
temple, and adorned with gold 
and precious stones, was brought, 
Pilate said to them all, I adjure 
you by the God of your Fathers, 
who made and commanded this 
temple to be built, that ye conceal 
not the truth from me. 

4 Ye know all the things which 
are written in that book ; tell me 
therefore now, if ye in the Scrip- 
tures have found any thing of 
that Jesus whom ye crucified, and 
at what time of the world he 
ought to have come : shew it me. 

5 Then having sworn Annas 
and Caiaphas, they commanded 
all the rest who were with them 
to go out of the chapel. 

6 And they shut the gates of 
the temple and of the chapel, and 
said to Pilate, Thou hast made us 
to swear, O judge, by the build- 
ing of this temple, to declare to 
thee that which is true and 
right. 

7 After we had crucified Jesus, 
not knowing that he was the Son 
of God, but supposing he wrought 
his miracles by some magical arts, 
we summoned a large assembly 
in this temple. 

8 And when we were delibe- 
rating among one another about 

89 



The Jews repent and NICODEMUS. acknowledge Chrtyt. 



the miracles which Jesus had I 
wrought, we found many wit- 
nesses of our own country, who 
declared that they had seen him 
alive after his death, and that 
they heard him discoursing with 
his disciples, and saw him ascend- 
ing unto the height of the 
heavens, and entering into them ; 

9 And we saw two witnesses, 
whose bodies Jesus raised from 
the dead, who told us of many 
strange things w T hich Jesus did 
among the dead, of which we 
have a written account in our 
hands. 

10 And it is our custom 
annually to open this holy book 
before an assembly, and to search 
there for the counsel of God. 

11 And we found in the first 
of the seventy books, where 
Michael the archangel is speak- 
ing to the third son of Adam the 
first man, an account that after 
five thousand five hundred years, 
Christ the most beloved Son of 
God was come on earth, 

12 And we further consider- 
ed, that perhaps he was the very 
God of Israel who spoke to 
Moses, Thou shalt make the ark 
of the testimony ; two cubits and 
a half shall be the length there- 
of, and a cubit and a half the 
breadth thereof, and a cubit and 
a half the height thereof. 1 

13 By these five cubits and a 
half for the building of the ark 
of the Old Testament, we per- 
ceived and knew that in five 
thousand years and a half (one 
thousand; years, Jesus Christ 
was to come in the ark or taber- 
nacle of a body ; 

14 And so our scriptures .tes- 
tify that he is the son of God, 
and the Lord and King of Israel. 

15 And because after his suf- 



fering, our chief priests were sr r- 
prised at the signs which w< <> 
wrought by his means, we opem 
that book to search all the gei n 
rations down to the generation of 
Joseph and Mary the mother of 
Jesus, supposing him to be of the 
seed of David ; 

16 And we found the account 
of the creation, and at what tim 
he made the heaven and the eart 
and the first man Adam, and tha 
from thence to the flood, were tw. 
thousand, two hundred and 
twelve years. 

17 And from the flood to 
Abraham, nine hundred and 
twelve. And from Abraham to 
Moses, four hundred and thirty. 
And from Moses to David the 
king, five hundred and ten. 

18 And from David to the 
Babylonish captivity, five hun- 
dred years. And from the Baby- 
lonish captivity to the incarna- 
tion of Christ, four hundred 
years. 

19 The sum of all which 
amounts to five thousand and 
half (a thousand). 

20 And so it appears, that 
Jesus whom we crucified, is 
Jesus Christ the Son of God, and 
true and Almighty God. Amen. 

In the name of the Holy Trinity, 
thus end the Acts of our Saviour 
Jesus Christ, which the Empe- 
ror Theodosius the Great found 
at Jerusalem, in the hall of 
-Pontius Pilate among the public 
records; the things were acted 
in the nineteenth year of Tibe- 
rius Ccesar, Emperor of the 
Romans, and in the seventeenth 
year of the government of Herod 
the son of Herod king of Gali- 
lee, on the eighth of the calends 
of April, which is the twenty- 



1 Exod. xxv. 10. 



90 



THE APOSTLES' CKEED. 



third day of the month f March, 
in the ccnd Olymp ^ w \ ien 
Joseph and Caiuphu s were ft u . 
lers of the Jews; b'kng a His- 



tory written in Hebrew by Ni- 
codemus, of what happened after 
our Saviour's crucifixion. 



The APOSTLES' CREED. 

[It is affirmed by Ambrose, " that the twelve Apostles, as skilful artificers 
assembled together, and made a key by their common advice, that is, 
the Creed ; by which the darkness of the devil is disclosed, that the 
light of Christ may appear." 1 Others fable that every Apostle inserted 
an article, by which the creed is divided into twelve articles; and a ser- 
mon, fathered upon St. Austin, and quoted by the Lord Chancellor 
King, fabricates that each particular article was thus inserted by each 
particular Apostle: — 

"Peter. — 1. I believe in God the Father Almighty; 

" John. — 2. Maker of heaven and earth ; 

u James. — 3. And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord ; 

" Andrew. — 4. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Vir- 
gin Mary; 

" Philip — 5. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and 
buried ; 

" Thomas. — 6. He descended into hell, the third day he rose again 
from the dead ; 

"Bartholomew. — 7- He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand 
of God the Father Almighty ; 

t{ Matthew. — 8. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the 
dead; 

u James, the son of Alpheus. — 9. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy 
Catholic Church ; 

*' Simon Zelotes. — 10. The communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins ; 

u Jude the brother of James. — 11. The resurrection of the body ; 

" Matthias. — 12. Life everlasting. Amen." 2 

Archbishop Wake says : " With respect to the Apostles being the 
authors of this Creed, it is not my intention to enter on any particular 
examination of this matter, which has been so fully handled, not only 
by the late critics of the Church of Rome, Natalia Alexander, 3 Du Pin, 4 



1 Arab. Op^ra, tom. iii. Serm. 38, p 265. 2 Kind's Hist. Apost. Creed, 
8vo, p. 26. 3 Nsn. Alex., §1, vol. i., p. 490, &c. 4 Du Pin, Bibiioth. Ec- 



cles., vo . i , p 



01 



THE APOSTLES' CR 

EED. 
&c, but yet more especially by Archbishop 1 
Suicer, 8 Spanhemius. 4 Tentzelius, 6 and Sam. J Osher, 1 Gerard Vossius, 2 

tcstants. It shall suiliee to say, that as it is '5a.-nage,° among the Pro- 

Bucb thing as this been done by the Apostle- not likely, that had anv 
passed it by, without taking the least notice of i St. Luke wouhl have 
Creeds in the ancient Church, and that not only it: so the diversity of 
some whole Articles too, sufficiently shows, that th in expression, hut in 
by that name, was not composed by the twelve Ap< ■ Creed which we call 
the same form in whieh it now is.' 7 >stles, much less in 

.Mr. .Justice Bailey says: '' It is not to be understov. 
was framed by the Apostles, or indeed that it existed as ->d that this Cre 
time;" 8 and after giving the Creed as it existed in the a Creed in tl 
whieh is here copied from his Common Prayer Book, he ->r GOO, 
long this form had existed hefore the year GOO is not exactly vs, 
The additions were probably made in opposition to particular he'- ..> 
and errors.'' 

The most important "addition," since the year of Christ 600, is that 
which affirms, that Christ descended into hell. This has been proved not 
only to have been an invention after the Apostles' time, but even after 
the time of Eusebius. Bishop Pearson says, 9 that the descent into hell 
was not in the ancient creeds or rules of fnith. " It is not to be found 
in the rules of faith delivered by Irenaeus, 10 by Origen, 11 or by Tertul 
lian. 12 It is not expressed in those creeds which were made by the 
councils as larger explications of the Apostles' Creed ; not in the Nicene, 
or Constantinopolitan ; not in those of Ephesus, or Chalcedon ; not in 
those confessions made at Sardica, Antioch, SeJucia, Sirmium, &c. It 
is not mentioned in several confessions of faith delivered by particular 
persons ; not in that of Eusebius Canadensis, presented to the council 
of Nice; 13 not in that of Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra, delivered to Pope 
Julius ; u not in that of Arius and Euzoius, presented to Constantine ; 15 
not in that of Acacius, bishop of Caesarea, delivered into the synod of 
Selucia; 16 not in that of Eustathius, Theophilus, and Sylvanus, sent to 
Liberius ; 17 there is no mention of it in the creed of St. Basil ; 18 in the 
creed of Epiphanus, 19 Gelasius, Damascus, Macarius, &c. It is not in 
the creed expounded by St. Cyril, though some have produced that 
creed to prove it. It is not in the creed expounded by St. Augustine ; 20 
not in that other, 21 attributed to St. Augustine in another place; not in 
that expounded by Maximus Taurinensis ; nor in that so often inter- 
preted by Petrus Chrysologus ; nor in that of the church of Antioch, 
delivered by Cassianus; 22 neither is it to be seen in the MS. creeds set 
forth by the learned Archbishop of Armagh. It is affirmed by Ruffinus, 
that in his time it was neither in the Eoman nor the Oriental Creeds.' 23 



1 Diatrib. de Symb. 2 Voss. Dissert, de tribus Symbolis. 3 Suicer. The- 
Baur. Eccles. torn. ii. Voce ov/jfto'Aov, p 1086, &c 4 Spanhem, Introd. ad 
Hist. Eccles., \ ii., c. 3. 5 Ernest. Tentzcl. Exercit. select. Exercit. I. 6 Sam. 
Basnage Exercit. Hist. Crit. ad Ann. XLIV. num. 17, 18. 7 Wake's Apost. 
Fathers, 8vo, p. 103. 8 Mr. Justice Bailey s Common Praver, 1813, p. 9. 
9 Pearson on the Creed, fol. 1676, p. 225. 10 Lib. 1, c. 2. n Lib. de Prin- 
cip. in Prooem. 12 Advers. Praxeam., c. ii., Virgin, veland., c. 1. — De Pre- 
script, ad vers. Hseres., c. 13. 13 Theodoret, 1. 1, c 2. u Epiphan. Hae. es. 
72. 15 Socrat. 1. 1, c. 19. 16 Ibid. 1. 2, c. 40. 17 Ibid. 1. 4, c. 12. 18 Tract, 
de Fide in Ascet. 19 In Anchorat., c. 120. 20 De Fide et Symbolo. 21 De 
Symbolo ad Catechumenos. 22 De Incarnat., lib. 6. 23 Export, in Symbol., 
Apost., I 20. 

92 



THE APOSTLES' CREED. 



As it stood An. Dom. 600. 

from Mr. Justice Bailey's Edition of 

the book of Common Prayer. 
" Before the year 600, it was no more 

than this."— Mr. Justice Bailey. 

p. 9 n. 

1 I Believe in God the Fa- 
ther Almighty: 

2 And in Jesus Christ his on- 
ly begotten Son, our Lord ; 

3 Who was born of the Holy 
Ghost and Virgin Mary, 



4 And was crucified under 
Pontius Pilate, and was buried ; 

5 And the third day rose 
again from the dead. 

6 Ascended into heaven, sit- 
teth on the right hand of the 
Father ; 

7 Whence he shall come to 
judge the quick and the dead ; 



8 And in the Holy Ghost ; 



9 The Holy Church ; 

10 The remission of sins ; 



11 And the resurrection of 
the flesh, Amen. 



.4s it stands in the book of Common 
Prayer of the United Church of Eng- 
land and Ireland as by law estab- 
lished. 



1 I Believe in God the Fa- 
ther Almighty, maker of heaven 
and earth : 

2 And in Jesus Christ his on- 
ly Son, our Lord : 

3 Who was conceived by the 
Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin 
Mary, 

4 Suffered under Pontius Pi- 
late, was crucified, dead and 
buried ; 

5 He descended into hell ; 

6 The third day he rose again 
from the dead ; 

7 He ascended into heaven, 
and sitteth on the right hand of 
God the Father Almighty ; 

8 From thence he shall come 
to judge the quick and the dead. 

9 If I believe in the Holy 
Ghost ; 

10 The holy Catholic Church ; 
the communion of saints ; 

11 The forgiveness of sins ; 

12 The resurrection of the 
body ; and the life everlasting, 
Amen. 



93 



THE EPISTLE of PAUL the APOSTLE to the LAODI- 

OEANS. 

[This Epistle has been highly esteemed by several learned men of the church 
of Rome and others. The Quakers have printed a translatio- md plead 
for it, as the reader may see, by eonsulting Poole's Annotations on Col. 
vi. 16. Sixtns Senensis mentions two MfcSS-, the one in the ISorOunne 
Library at Paris, which is a very ancient copy, and the other in the Li- 
brary of Joannes a Viridario, at Padua, which he transcribed and pub- 
lished, and which is the authority for the following translation. There 
is a very old translation ot this Epistle in the British Museum, aniung 
the Harleian MSS., Cod. 1212.] 



1 He salutes the brethren. 3 exhorts 
them to persevere in good works, 4 
and not to be moved by vain speaking. 
6 Rzjoices in his bonds, 10 desires 
them to live in the fear of the Lord. 

PAUL an Apostle, not of 
men, neither by man, but 
by Jesus Christ, to the brethren 
which are at Laodicea. 

2 Grace be to you, and Peace, 
from God the Father and our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

3 I thank Christ in every 
prayer of mine, that ye may 
continue and persevere in good 
works lookiug for that which is 
promised in the day of judg- 
ment. 

4 Let not the vain speeches 
of auy trouble you who pervert 
the truth, that they may draw 
you aside from the truth of the 
Gospel which I have preached. 

5 And now may God grant, 
that my converts may attain to 
a perfect knowledge of the truth 
of the Gospel, be beneficent, 
and doing good works which ac- 
company salvation. 

6 And now my bonds, which 
I suffer m Christ, are manifest, 
in whicn I rejoice and am glad. 

7 For I know that this shall 
turn to my salvation for ever, 
which shall be through your 
prayer, and the supply of the 
Holy Spirit. 

8 Whether I live or die ; (for) 

94 



to me to live shall be a life to 
Christ, to die will be joy. 

9 And our Lord will grant us 
his mercy, that ye may have 
the same love, and be like- 
minded. 

10 Wherefore, my beloved, as 
ye have heard of the coming of 
the Lord, so think and act in 
fear, and it shall be to you life 
eternal ; 

1 1 For it is God who worketh 
in you ; 

12 And do all things without 
sin. 

13 And what is best, my be- 
loved, rejoice in the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and avoid all filthy 
lucre. 

14 Let all your requests be 
made known to God, and be 
steady in the doctrine of Christ. 

15 And whatsoever things are 
sound and true, and of* good re- 
port, and chaste, and just, and 
lovely, these things do. 

16 Those things which ye 
have heard, and received, think 
on these things, and peace shall 
be with you. 

17 All the saints salute you. 

18 The grace of our Lord Je- 
sus Christ be w T ith your spirit. 
Amen. 

19 Cause this Epistle to be 
read to the Colossians, and the 
Epistle o* ? the Colossians to be 
read among you. 



The EPISTLES of PAUL the APOSTLE to SENECA, with 
SENECA'S to PAUL. 

[Several very learned writers have entertained a favourable opinion of these 
Epistles. They are undoubtedly of high antiquity. Salmeron cites 
them to prove that Seneca was one of Caesar's household, referred to by 
Paul, Philip- iv. 22, as saluting the brethren at Philippi. In Jerome's 
enumeration of illustrious men, he places Seneca, on account of these 
Epistles, amongst the ecclesiastical and holy writers of the Christian 
Church. Sixtus Senensis has published them in his Bibliotheque, pp. 
89, 90 ; and it is from thence that the present translation is made. Bar- 
onius, Bellarmine, Dr. Cave, Spanheim, and others, contend that they 
are not genuine J 



CHAP. I. 

Annjeus Seneca to Paul Greeting. 

I SUPPOSE, Paul, you have 
been informed of that conver- 
sation, which passed yesterday 
between me and my Lucilius, 
concerning hypocrisy and other 



subjects; tor there were some of [ v^liich I send. 



which I could immediately have 
wrote an answer, had the young 
man been at home, whom I in- 
tended to have sent to you : 

2 For you know when, and by 
whom, at what seasons, and to 
whom I must deliver every thing 



your disciples in company with 
us; 

2 For when* we were retired 
into the Sallustian gardens, 
through which they were also 
passing, and would have gone 
another way, by our persuasion 
they joined company with us. ( 

3 I desire you to believe, that 
we much wish for your conversa- 
tion : 

4 We were much delighted 
with your book of many Epistles, 
which you have wrote to some 
cities and chief towns of pro- 
vinces, and contain wonderful 
instructions for moral conduct: 

5 Such sentiments, as I sup- 
pose you were not the author of, 
but only the instrument of con- 
veying, though sometimes both 
the author and the instrument. 

6 For such is the sublimity of 
those doctrines, and their gran- 
deur, that I suppose the age of 
a man is scarce sufficient to be 
instructed and perfected in the 
knowledge of them. I wish your 
welfare, my brother. Farewell. 

CHAP. II. 

Paul to Seneca Greeting, 

I RECEIVED your letter yes- 
terday with pleasure : to 



3 I desire therefore you would 
not charge me with negligence, 
if I wait for a proper person. 

4 I reckon myself very happy 
in having the judgment of so 
valuable a person, that you are 
delighted with my Epistles : 

5 For you would not be es- 
teemed a censor, a philosopher, 
or be the tutor of so great a 
prince, and a master of every 
thing, if you were not sincere. 
I wish you a lasting prosperity. 

CHAP. III. 

Ann^eus Seneca to Paul Greeting. 

I HAVE completed some vo- 
lumes, and divided them into 
their proper parts. 

2 I am determined to read 
them to Csesar, and if any favour- 
able opportunity happens, you 
also shall be present, when they 
are read ; 

3 But if that cannot be, I will 
appoint and give you notice of a 
day, when we will together read 
over the performance. 

4 I had determined, if I could 
with safety, first to have your opi- 
nion of it, before I published it 
to Caesar, that you might be con- 
vinced of my affection to you. 
Farewell, dearest Paul. 

95 



PAUL TO SENECA. 



CHAP. IV. 
Paul to Seneca Greeting, 

AS often as I read your letters, 
I imagine you present with 
me ; nor indeed do I think any 
other, than that you are always 
with us. 

2 As soon therefore as you be- 
gin to come, we shall presently 
see each other. I wish you all 
prosperity. 

CHAP. V. 

Anx.eus Seneca to Paul Greeting. 

WE are very much concerned 
at your too long absence 
from us. 

2 What is it, or what affairs 
are they, which obstruct your 
coming ? 

3 If you fear the anger of 
Caesar, because you have abon- 
doned your former religion, and 
made proselytes also of others, 
you have this to plead, that your 
acting thus proceeded not from 
inconstancy, but judgment. 
Farewell. 

CHAP. VI. 

Paul to Seneca and Luciltus 
Greeting. 

CONCERNING those things 
about w T hich ye wrote to me 
it is not proper for me to mention 
anything in writing with pen and 
ink: the one of which leaves 
marks, and the other evidently 
declares things. 

2 Especially since I know that 
there are near you, as well as me, 
those who will understand my 
meaning. 

3 Deference is to be paid to all 
men, and so much the more, as 
they are more likely to take occa- 
sions of quarrelling. 

4 And if we show a submissive 
temper, we shall overcome effec- 
tually in all points, if so be they 
are, who are capable of seeing 

96 



and acknowledging themselves 
to bave been in the wrong. Fare- 
well. 

CHAP. VII. 

Annjeus Seneca to Paul Greeting. 

1 PROFESS myself extremely 
pleased with the reading your 
letters to the Galatians, Corin- 
thians, and people of Achaia. 

2 For the Holy Ghost has in 
them by you delivered those 
sentiments which are very lofty, 
sublime, deserving of all respect, 
and beyond your own invention. 

3 I could wish therefore, that 
when you are writing things so 
extraordinary, there might not 
be wanting an elegancy of speech 
agreeable to their majesty. 

4 And I must own my bro- 
ther, that I may not at once dis- 
honestly conceal anything from 
you, and be unfaithful to my own 
conscience, that the emperor is 
extremely pleased with the senti- 
ments of your Epistles ; 

5 For when he heard the be- 
ginning of them read, he declar- 
ed, That he was surprised to find 
such notions in a person, who 
had not had a regular education. 

6 To which I replied, That the 
Gods sometimes made use of 
mean (innocent) persons to speak 
by, and gave him an instance of 
this in a mean countryman, 
named Vatienus, who, when he 
was in the country of Reate, had 
two men appeared to him, called 
Castor and Pollux, and received 
a revelation from the gods. Fare- 
well. 

CHAP. VIII. 
Paul to Seneca Greeting. 

ALTHOUGH I know the em- 
peror is both an admirer 
and favourer of our (religion), yet 
give me leave to advise you 
against your suffering any injury, 
(by shewing favour to us.) 




THE LAST JUDGMENT. [Page 141. 

FROM A PERSIAN MINIATURE OF THE EIGHTH CENTURY. 



PAUL AND SENECA. 



2 I think indeed you ventured 
upon a very dangerous attempt, 
when you would declare (to the 
emperor) that which is so very 
contrary to his religion, and way 
of worship ; seeing he is a wor- 
shipper of the heathen gods. 

o I know not what you parti- 
cularly had in view, when you 
told him of this ; but I suppose 
you did it out of too great re- 
spect for me. 

4 But I desire that for the fu- 
ture you would not do so; for 
you had need be careful, lest by 
shewing your affection for me, 
you should offend your master : 

5 His anger indeed will do us 
no harm, if he continue a hea- 
then ; nor will his not being 
angry be of any service to us : 

6 And if the empress act wor- 
thy of her character, she will 
not be angry ; but if she acts as 
a woman, she will be affronted. 
Farewell. 



CHAP. IX. 

Annjsus Seneca to Paul Greeting \ 

I KNOW that my letter, where- 
in I acquainted you, that I 
had read to the Emperor your 
Epistles, does not so much affect 
you as the nature of the things 
(contained in them), 

2 Which do so powerfully di- 
vert men's minds from their for- 
mer manners and practices, that 
I have always been surprised, 
and have been fully convinced 
of it by many arguments here- 
tofore. 

3 Let us therefore begin 
afresh ; and if any thing hereto- 
fore has been imprudently acted, 
do you forgive. 

4 I have sent you a book de 
copia verborum. Farewell, dear- 
est Paul. 



CHAP. X. 

Paul to Seneca Greeting. 

AS often as I write to you, 
and place my name before 
yours, I do a thing both dis- 
agreeable to myself, and con- 
trary to our religion : 

2 For I ought, as I have often 
declared, to become all things to 
all men, and to have that regard 
to your quality, which the Roman 
law has honoured all senators 
w 7 ith ; namely, to put my name 
last in the (inscription of the) 
Epistle, that I may not at length 
with uneasiness and shame be 
obliged to do that which it was 
always my inclination to do. 
Farewell, most respected master. 
Dated the fifth of the calends of 
July, in the fourth consulship of 
Nero, and Messala. 

CHAP. XL 

Ann^eus Seneca to Paul Greeting. 

ALL happiness to you, my 
dearest Paul. 

2 If a person so great, and 
every way agreeable as you are, 
become not only a common, but 
a most intimate friend to me, 
how happy will be the case of 
Seneca ! 

3 You therefore, who are so 
eminent, and so far exalted above 
all, even the greatest, do not 
think yourself unfit to be first 
named in the inscription of an 
Epistle; 

4 Lest I should suspect you 
intend not so much to try me, 
as to banter me ; for you know 
yourself to be a Roman citizen. 

5 And I could wish to be in 
that circumstance or station 
which you are, and that you 
were in the same that I am. 
Farewell, dearest Paul. Dated 
the xth of the calends of April, 
in the consulship of Aprianus 
and Capito. 



PAUL AND SENECA. 



CHAP. XII. 

Annjeus Seneca to Paul Greeting. 

ALL happiness to you, my dear- 
est Paul. Do you not sup- 
pose I am extremely concerned 
and grieved that your innocence 
should bring you into sufferings? 

2 And that all the people 
should suppose you (Christians) 
so criminal, and imagine all the 
misfortunes that happen to the 
city, to be caused by you ? 

3 But let us bear the charge 
with a patient temper, appeal- 
ing (for our innocence) to the 
court (above), which is the only 
one our hard fortune will allow 
us to address to, till at length 
our misfortunes shall end in un- 
alterable happiness. 

4 Former ages have produced 
(tyrants) Alexander the son of 
Philip, and Dionysius ; ours 
also has produced Caius Caesar ; 
whose inclinations were their 
only laws. 

5 As to the frequent burnings 
of the city of Rome, the cause is 
manifest ; and if a person in my 
mean circumstances might be 
allowed to speak, and one might 
declare these dark things with- 
out danger, every one should see 
the whole of the matter. 

6 The Christians and Jews 
are indeed commonly punished 
for the crime of burning the 
city ; but that impious miscreant, 
who delights in murders and 
butcheries, and disguises his vil- 
lanies with lie3, is appointed to, 
or reserved till, his proper time. 

7 And as the life of every ex- 
cellent person is now sacrificed 
instead of that one person (who 
is the author of the mischief), 
so this one shall b3 sacrificed for 
many, and he shall be devoted 
to be burnt with fire instead of 
all. 

98 



8 One hundred and thirty-two 
houses, and four whole squares 
(or islands; were burnt down in 
six days : the seventh put an 
end to the burning. 1 wish you 
all happiness. 

9 Dated the fifth of the calends 
of April, in the consulship of 
Frigius and Bassus. 

CHAP. XIII. 

Ann^eus Seneca to Paul Greeting. 

ALL happiness to you, my 
dearest Paul. 

2 You have wrote many vo- 
lumes in an allegorical and mys- 
tical style, and therefore such 
mighty matters and business 
being committed to you, require 
not to be set off with any rhe- 
torical nourishes of speech, but 
only with some proper elegance. 

3 I remember you often say, 
that many by affecting such a 
style do injury to their subjects, 
and lose the force of the matters 
they treat of. 

4 But in this I desire you to 
regard me, namely, to have re- 
spect to true Latin, and to 
choose just words, that so you 
may the better manage the noble 
trust which is reposed in you. 

5 Farewell. Dated v th of the 
names of July, Leo and Savinus 
consuls. 

CHAP. XIV. 
Paul to Seneca Greeting. 

YOUR serious consideration 
requited with these discov- 
eries, which the Divine Being 
has granted but to few. 

2 I am thereby assured that I 
sow the most strong seed in a 
fertile soil, not anything mate- 
rial, which is subject to corrup- 
tion, but the durable word of 
God, which shall increase and 
bring forth fruit to eternity. 



PAUL AND THECLA. 



3 That which by your wis- 
dom you have attained to, shall 
abide without decay for ever. 

4 Believe that you ought to 
avoid the superstitions of Jews 
and Geutiles. 

5 The things which you have 
in some measure arrived to, pru- 
dently make known to the em- 
peror, his family, and to faithful 
friends ; 

6 And though your sentiments 



will seem disagreeable, and not 
be comprehended by them, see- 
ing most of them will not regard 
your discourses, yet the Word 
of God once infused into them, 
will at length make them become 
new men, aspiring towards God. 
7 Farewell Seneca, who art 
most dear to us. Dated on the 
Calends of August, in the con- 
sulship of Leo and Savinus. 



I 



The ACTS of PAUL and THECLA. 

[Tertullian says that this piece was forged by a Presbyter of Asia, who "being 
convicted, " confessed that he did it out of respect of Paul," and Pope 
Gelasius, in his Decree against apocryphal books, inserted it among 
them. Notwithstanding this, a large part of the history was credited, 
and looked upon as genuine among the primitive Christians. Cyprian, 
Eusebius, Epiphanius, Austin, Gregory Nazianzen, Chrysostom, and 
Severus Sulpitius, who all lived within the fourth century, mention 
Thecla, or refer to her history. Basil of Seleucia wrote her acts, suffer- 
ings, and victories, in verse; and Euagrius Scholasticus, an ecclesiasti- 
cal historian, about 590, relates that ''after the Emperor Zeno had 
abdicated his empire, and Basilik had taken possession of it, he had a 
vision of the holy and excellent martyr Thecla, who promised him the 
restoration of his empire; for which, when it was brought about, he 
erected and dedicated a most noble and sumptuous temple to this 
famous martyr Thecla, at Seleucia, a city of Isauria, and bestowed upon 
it very noble endowments, which (says the author) are preserved even 
till this day." Hist. Eccl., lib. 3, cap. 8. — Cardinal Baronius, Locrinus, 
Archbishop Wake, and others; and also the learned Grabe, who edited 
the Septuagint, and revived the Acts of Paul and Thecla, consider them 
as having been written in the Apostolic age ; as containing nothing 
superstitious, or disagreeing from the opinions and belief of those times ; 
and, in short, as a genuine and authentic history. Again, it is said, 
that this is not the original book of the early Christians ; but however 
that may be, it is published from the Greek MS. in the Bodleian Library 
at Oxford, which Dr. Mills copied and transmitted to Dr. Grabe.] 



The Martyrdom of the holy and 
glorious first Martyr and Apos- 
tle Thecla. 

CHAP. I. 

1 Demas and Hermogenes become PauVs 
companions. 4 Paul visits Onesi- 
phorus. 8 Invited by Demas and 
Hermogenes. 11 Preaches to the 
household of Onesiphorus. 12 His 
sermon. 



WHEN Paul went up to Ico- 
nium, after his flight from 
Antioch, Demas and Hermoge- 
nes became his companions, who 
were then full of hypocrisy. 

2 But Paul looking only at 
the goodness of God, did them 
no harm, but loved them greatly. 

3 Accordingly he endeavoured 
to make agreeable to them, all 

99 



PauV s companions PAUL AND THECLA. and preachings. 



the oracles and doctrines of 
Christ, and the design of the 
Gospel of God's well-beloved 
Son, instructing them in the 
knowledge of Christ, as it was 
revealed to him. 

4 If And a certain man named 
Onesiphorus, hearing that Paul 
was come to Iconium, went out 
speedily to meet him, together 
with his wife Lectra, and his 
sons Simmia and Zeno, to invite 
him to their house. 

5 For Titus had given them 
a description of Paul's person- 
age, they as yet not knowing 
him in person, but only being 
acquainted with his character. 

6 They went in the king's 
highway to Lystra, and stood 
there waiting for him, comparing 
all who passed by, with that de- 
scription which Titus had given 
them. 

7 At length they saw a man 
coming (namely Paul), of a low 
stature, bald (or shaved) on the 
head, crooked thighs, handsome 
legs, hollow-eyed; had a crooked 
nose; full of grace; for some- 
times he appeared as a man, 
sometimes he had the counte- 
nance of an angel. And Paul 
saw Onesiphorus, and was glad. 

8 If And Onesiphorus said : 
Hail, thou servant of the blessed 
God. Paul replied, The grace 
of God be with thee and thy 
family. 

9 But Demas and Hermoge- 
nes were moved with envy, and, 
under a show of great religion, 
Demas said, And are not we 
also servants of the blessed God ? 
Why didst thou not salute us ? 

10 Onesiphorus replied, Be- 
cause I have not perceived in 
you the fruits of righteousness ; 
nevertheless, if ye are of that 
sort, ye shall be welcome to my 
house also. 

100 



11 Then Paul went into the 
house of Onesiphorus, and there 
was great joy among the family 
on that account : and they em- 
ployed themselves in prayer, 
breaking of bread, and hearing 
Paul preach the word of God 
concerning temperance and the 
resurrection, in the following 
manner: 

12^f Blessed are the pure in 
heart ; for they shall see God. 

13 Blessed are they who keep 
their flesh undefiled (or pure) ; 
for they shall be the temple of 
God. 

14 Blessed are the temperate 
(or chaste) ; for God will reveal 
himself to them. 

15 If Blessed are they who 
abandon their secular enjoy- 
ments ; for they shall be accept- 
ed of God. 

16 Blessed are they who have 
wives, as though they had them 
not; for they shall be made 
angels of God. 

17 Blessed are they who trem- 
ble at the word of God ; for 
they shall be comforted. 

18 Blessed are they who keep 
their baptism pure ; for they 
shall find peace with, the Father, 
Son, and Holy Ghost. 

19 If Blessed are they who 
pursue the wisdom (or doctrine) 
of Jesus Christ; for they shall 
be called the sons of the Most 
High. 

20 Blessed are they who ob- 
serve the instructions of Jesus 
Christ ; for they shall dwell in 
eternal light. 

21 Blessed are they, who for 
the love of Christ abandon the 
glories of the world ; for they 
shall judge angels, and be placed 
at the right hand of Christ, and 
shall not suffer the bitterness of 
the last judgment. 

22 T Blessed are the bodies and 



Thecla admires PAUL AND THECLA. Paul's preaching. 






souls of virgins ; for they are ac- 
ceptable to God, and shall not 
lose the reward of their virginity ; 
for the word of their (heavenly) 
Father shall prove effectual to 
their salvation in the day of his 
Sou, and they shall enjoy rest 
for evermore. 

CHAP. II. 

1 Theda listens anxiously to Paul's 
preaching. 5 Thamyris, her admirer, 
concerts with Theoclia her mother to 
dissuade her, 12 in vain. 14 Demas 
and Hermogenes vilify Paul to 
Thamyris. 

WHILE Paul was preach- 
ing this sermon in the 
church which was in the house of 
Onesiphorus, a certain virgin, 
named Thecla (whose mother's 
name was Theoclia, and who was 
betrothed to a man named Tha- 
myris) sat at a certain window in 
her house. 

2 From whence, by the advan- 
tage of a window in the house 
where Paul was, she both night 
and day heard Paul's sermons 
concerning God, concerning cha- 
rity, concerning faith in Christ, 
and concerning prayer ; 

3 Nor would she depart from 
the window, till with exceeding 
joy she was subdued to the doc- 
trines of faith. 

4 At length, when she saw 
many women and virgins going 
in to Paul, she earnestly desired 
that she might bethought worthy 
to appear in his presence, and 
hear the word of Christ ; for she 
had not yet seen Paul's person, 
but only heard his sermons, and 
that alone. 

5 If But when she would not 
be prevailed upon to depart from 
the window, her mother sent to 
Thamyris, who came w 7 ith the 
greatest pleasure, as hoping now 



to marry her. Accordingly he 
said to Theoclia, Where is my 
Thecla? 

6 Theoclia replied, Thamyris, 
I have something very strange to 
tell you ; for Thecla, for the space 
of three days, will not move from 
the window not so much as to 
eat or drink, but is so intent in 
hearing the artful and delusive 
discourses of a certain foreigner, 
that I perfectly admire, Tha- 
myris, that a young woman of 
her known modesty, will suffer 
herself to be so prevailed upon. 

7 For that man has disturbed 
the whole city of Iconium, and 
even your Thecla, among others, 
All the women and young men 
flock to him to receive his doc- 
trine ; who, besides all the rest, 
tells them that there is but one 
God, who alone is to be worship- 
ped, and that we ought to live in 
chastity. 

8 If Notwithstanding this, my 
daughter Thecla, like a spider's 
web fastened to the window, is 
captivated by the discourses of 
Paul, and attends upon them 
wdth prodigious eagerness, and 
vast delight ; and thus, by attend- 
ing on what he says, the young 
woman is seduced. Now then 
do you go, and speak to her, for 
she is betrothed to you. 

9 Accordingly Thamyris went, 
and having saluted her, and tak- 
ing care not to surprise her, he 
said, Thecla, my spouse, why sit- 
test thou in this melancholy pos- 
ture ? What strange impressions 
are made upon thee? Turn to 
Thamyris, and blush. 

10 Her mother also spake to 
her after the same manner, and 
said, Child, why dost thou sit so 
melancholy, and, like one asto- 
nished, makest no reply ? 

11 Then they wept exceeding- 
ly, Thamyris, that he had lost 

101 



Donas and Hermogenes PAUL AND THECLA. betray J' 



his spouse; Theoclia, that she had 
lost her daughter ; and the maids, 
that they had lost their mistress ; 
and there was an universal 
mourning in the family. 

12 But all these things made 
no impression upon Thecla, so 
as to incline her so much as to 
turn to them, and take notice of 
them ; for she still regarded the 
discourses of Paul. 

13 Then Thamyris ran forth 
into the street to observe who 
they were who went into Paul, 
and came out from him ; and 
he saw two men engaged in a 
very warm dispute, and said to 
them; 

14 If Sirs, what business have 
you here? and who is that man 
within, belonging to you, who 
deludes the minds of men, both 
young men and virgins, per- 
suading them, that they ought 
not *c i^arji but continue as 
they are ? 

15 I promise to give you a con- 
siderable sum, if you will give 
me a just account of him ; for I 
am the chief person of this 
city. 

16 Demas and Hermogenes re- 
plied, We cannot so exactly tell 
who he is ; but this we know, 
that he deprives young men of 
their (intended) wives, and vir- 
gins of their (intended) hus- 
bands, by teaching, There can 
be no future resurrection, unless 
ye continue in chastity, and do 
not defile your flesh. 

CHAP. III. 

1 They betray Paul. 7 Thamyris arrests 
him with officers. 

THEN said Thamyris, Come 
along with me to my house, 
and refresh yourselves. So they 
went to a very splendid entertain- 
ment, where there was wine in 
102 



abundance, and very rich provi- 
sion. 

2 They were brought to a table 
richly spread, and made to drink 
plentifully by Thamyris, on ac- 
count of the love he had for The- 
cla and his desire to marry her. 

3 Then Thamyris said, 1 desire 
ye would inform me what the 
doctrines of this Paul are, that I 
may understand them ; for 1 am 
under no small concern about 
Thecla, seeing she so delights in 
that stranger's discourses, that I 
am in danger of losing my in- 
tended wife. 

4 \ Then Demas and Hermo- 
genes answered both together, 
and said, Let him be brought be- 
fore the governor Castellius, as 
one who endeavours to persuade 
the people into the new religion 
of the Christians, and he, accord- 
ing to the order of Csesar, will put 
him to death, by which means 
you will obtain your wife ; 

5 While we at the same time 
will teach her, that the resurrec- 
tion which he speaks of is already 
come, and consists in our having 
children ; and that we then arose 
again, when we came to the 
knowledge of God. 

6 Thamyris having this ac- 
count from them, was filled with 
hot resentment : 

7 And rising early in the morn- 
ing he went to the house of One- 
siphorus, attended by the magis- 
trates, the jailor, and a great mul- 
titude of people with staves, and 
said to Paul ; 

8 Thou hast perverted the city 
of Iconium, and among the rest, 
Thecla, who is betrothed to me, 
so that now she will not marry 
me. Thou shalt therefore go 
with us to the governor Castel- 
lius. 

9 And all the multitude cried 
out, Away with this impostor 



Paul imprisoned, PAUL AND THECLA. Thecla visits him. 



(magician), for he has perverted 
the minds of our wives, and all 
the people hearken to him. 

CHAP. IV. 

1 Paul accused before the governor by 
Thamyris. 5 Defends himself. 9 Is 
committed to prison, 10 and visited 
by Thecla. 

TPHEN Tliamyris standing be- 
JL fore the governor's judg- 
ment-seat, spake with a loud 
voice in the following manner. 

2 O governor, I know not 
whence this man cometh ; but 
he is one who teaches that matri- 
mony is unlawful. Command 
him therefore to declare before 
you for what reason he publishes 
such doctrines. 

3 While he was saying thus, 
Demas and Hermogenes (whis- 
pered to Thamyris, and) said ; 
Say that he is a Christian, and 
he will presently be put to death. 

4 But the governor was more 
deliberate, and calling to Paul, 
he said, Who art thou ? What 
dost thou teach ? They seem to 
lay gross crimes to thy charge. 

5 Paul then spake with a loud 
voice, saying, As I am now called 
to give an account, O governor, 
of my doctrines, I desire your 
audience. 

6 That God, who is a God of 
vengeance, and who stands in 
need of nothing but the salva- 
tion of his creatures, has sent 
me to reclaim them from their 
wickedness and corruptions, from 
all (sinful) pleasures, and from 
death ; and to persuade them to 
sin no more. 

7 On this account, God sent 
his Son Jesus Christ, whom I 
preach, and in whom I instruct 
men to place their hopes as that 
person who only had such com- 
passion on the deluded world, 
that it might not, O governor, 



be condemned, but have faith, 
the fear of God, the knowledge 
of religion, and the love of 
truth. 

8 So that if I only teach 
those things which I have re- 
ceived by revelation from God, 
where is my crime ? 

9 When the governor heard 
this, he ordered Paul to be bound, 
and to be put in prison, till he 
should be more at leisure to hear 
him more fully. 

10 But in the night, Thecla 
taking off her ear-rings, gave 
them to the turnkey of the pri- 
son, who then opened the doors 
to her, and let her in ; 

11 And when she made a pre- 
sent of a silver looking-glass to 
the jailor, was allowed to go 
into the room where Paul was ; 
then she sat down at his feet, 
and heard from him the great 
things of God. 

12 And as she perceived Paul 
not to be afraid of suffering, but 
that by divine assistance he be- 
haved himself with courage, her 
faith so far increased that she 
kissed his chains. 

CHAP. V. 

1 Thecla sought and found by her rela- 
tions. 4 Brought with Paul before 
the governor. 9 Ordered to be burnt, 
and Paul to be whipt. 15 Thecla 
miraculously saved. 

AT length Thecla was missed, 
and sought for by the family 
and by Thamyris in every street, 
as though she had been lost, but 
one of the porter's fellow-ser- 
vants told them, that she had 
gone out in the night time. 

2 Then they examined the 
porter, and he told them, that 
she was gone to the prison to 
the strange man. 

3 They went therefore accord- 
ing to his direction, and there 

103 



Thecla miraculously PAUL AND THECLA. saved from burning. 



found her ; and when they came 
out, they got a mob together, I 
and went and told the governor; 
all that happened. 

4 Upon which he ordered 
Paul to be brought before his 
judgment seat. 

5 Thecla in the mean time 
lay wallowing on the ground in 
the prison, in that same place 
where Paul had sat to teach her ; 
upon which the governor also 
ordered her to be brought before 
his judgment-seat; which sum- 
mons she received with joy, and 
went. 

6 When Paul was brought 
thither, the mob with more ve- 
hemence cried out, He is a ma- 
gician, let him die. 

7 Nevertheless the governor 
attended with pleasure upon 
Paul's discourses of the holy 
works of Christ; and, after a 
council called, he summoned 
Thecla, and said to her, Why 
do you not, according to the law 
of the Iconians, marry Thamyris ? 

8 She stood still, with her 
eyes fixed upon Paul ; and find- 
ing she made no reply, Theoclia, 
her mother, cried out, saying, 
Let the unjust creature be burnt ; 
let her be burnt in the midst of 
the theatre, for refusing Thamy- 
ris, that all women may learn 
from her to avoid such practices. 

9 Then the governor was ex- 
ceedingly concerned, and ordered 
Paul to be whipt out of the city, 
and Thecla to be burnt. 

10 So the governor arose, and 
went immediately into the thea- 
tre ; and all the people went 
forth to see the dismal sight. 

11 But Thecla, just as a lamb 
in the wilderness looks every 
way to see his shepheid, looked 
around for Paul ; 

12 And as she was looking 
upon the multitude, she saw the 

104 



Lord Jesus in the likeness of 
Paul, and said to herself, Paul 
is come to see me in my distressed 
circumstances. And she fixed 
her eyes upon him ; but he in- 
stantly ascended up to heaven, 
while she looked on him. 

13 Then the young men and 
women brought wood and straw 
for the burning of Thecla ; who, 
being brought naked to the 
stake, extorted tears from the 
governor, with surprise behold- 
ing the greatness of her beauty. 

14 And when they had placed 
the wood in order, the people 
commanded her to go upon it ; 
which she did, first making the 
sign of the cross. 

15 Then the people set fire to 
the pile ; though the flame was 
exceeding large, it did not touch 
her, for God took compassion 
on her, and caused a great erup- 
tion from the earth beneath, and 
a cloud from above to pour down 
great quantities of rain and hail ; 

16 Insomuch that by the rup- 
ture of the earth, very many 
were in great danger, and some 
were killed, the fire was extin- 
guished, and Thecla preserved. 

CHAP. VI. 

1 Paul with Onesiphorus in a cave. 7 
Thecla discovers Paul ; 12 proffers to 
follow him : 13 he exhorts her not for 
fear of fornication. 

IN the mean time Paul, toge- 
ther with Onesiphorus, his 
wife and children, was keeping 
a fast in a certain cave, which 
was in the road from Iconium to 
Daphne. 

2 And when they had fasted 
for several days, the children 
said to Paul, Father, we are 
hungry, and have not where- 
withal to buy bread ; for Onesi- 
phorus had left all his substance 
to follow Paul with his family. 



Thecla visits Paul, PAUL AND THECLA.cmc? resists Alexander. 



3 Then Paul, taking off his 
coat, said to the boy, Go, child, 
and buy bread, and bring it 
hither. 

4 But while the boy was buy- 
ing the bread, he saw his neigh- 
bour Thecla and was surprised, 
and said to her, Thecla, where 
are you going ? 

5 She replied, I am in pur- 
suit of Paul, having been deli- 
vered from the flames. 

6 The boy then said, I will 
bring you to him, for he is under 
great concern on your account, 
and has been in prayer and 
fasting these six days. 

7 If When Thecla came to the 
cave, she found Paul upon his 
knees praying and saying, O 
holy Father, O Lord Jesus 
Christ, grant that the fire may 
not touch Thecla ; but be her 
helper, for she is thy servant. 

8 Thecla then standing behind 
him, cried out in the following 
words : O sovereign Lord,Creator 
of heaven and earth, the Father 
of thy beloved and holy Son, I 
praise thee that thou hast pre- 
served me from the fire, to see 
Paul again. 

9 Paul then arose, and when 
he saw her, said, O God, who 
search est the heart, Father of 
my Lord Jesus Christ, I praise 
thee that thou hast answered my 
prayer. 

10 ^ And there prevailed 
among them in the cave an en- 
tire affection to each other ; 
Paul, Onesiphorus, and all that 
were with them being filled with 

joy- 

11 They had five loaves, some 
herbs and water, and they so- 
laced each other in reflections 
upon [] 1 oly works of Christ. 

12 i said Thecla to Paul, 
If yon I pleased with it, I will 
folio." • i whithersoever you go. 



13 He replied to her, Persons 
are now much given to fornica- 
tion, and you being handsome, I 
am afraid lest you should meet 
with greater temptation than 
the former, and should not with- 
stand, but be overcome by it. 

14 Thecla replied, Grant me 
only the seal of Christ, and no 
temptation shall affect me. 

15 Paul answered, Thecla, 
wait with patience, and you 
shall receive the gift of Christ. 

CHAP. VII. 

1 Paul and Thecla go to Antioch. 2 
Alexander, a magistrate, falls in love 
with Thecla: 4 kisses her by force: 5 
she resists him: 6 is carried before 
the governor, and condemned to be 
thrown to wild ' 



THEN Paul sent back Onesi- 
phorus and his family to 
their own home, and taking 
Thecla along with him, went for 
Antioch ; 

2 And as soon as they came 
into the city, a certain Syrian, 
named Alexander, a magistrate, 
in the city, who had done many 
considerable services for the 
city during his magistracy, saw 
Thecla and fell in love with her, 
and endeavoured by many rich 
presents to engage Paul in his 
interest. 

3 But Paul told him, I know 
not the woman of whom you 
speak, nor does she belong to me. 

4 But he being a person of 
great power in Antioch, seized 
her in the street and kissed her ; 
which Thecla would not bear, 
but looking about for Paul, cried 
out in a distressed loud tone, 
Force me not, who am a stran- 
ger ; force me not, who am a 
servant of God ; I am one of the 
principal persons of Iconium, 
and was obliged to leave that 
city because I would not be 
married to Thamyris. 

105 



/ 



and is thrown 



PAUL AND THECLA. 



to wild beasts. 



5 Then she laid hold on Alex- 
ander, tore his coat, and took 
bis crown oil' his head, and made 
him appear ridiculous before all 
the people. 

6 But Alexander, partly as 
he loved her, and partly being 
ashamed of what had been done, 
led her to the governor, and 
upon her confession of what she 
had done, 1 he condemned her to 
be thrown among the beasts. 

CHAP. VIII. 

2 Thecla entertained by Trifina ; 3 
brought out to the wild beasts ; a she- 
lion licks her feet. 5 Trifina upon a 
vision of her deceased daughter, adopts 
Thecla, 11 who is taken to the amphi- 
theatre again. 

WHICH when the people 
saw, they said: The judg- 
ments passed in this city are 
unjust. But Thecla desired the 
favour of the governor, that her 
chastity might not be attacked, 
but preserved till she should be 
cast to the beasts. 

2 The governor then inquired, 
Who would entertain her ; upon 
which a certain very rich widow, 
named Trifina, whose daughter 
was lately dead, desired that she 
might have the keeping of her ; 
and she began to treat her in 
her house as her own daughter. 

3 At length a day came, 
when the beasts were to be 
brought forth to be seen; and 
Thecla was brought to the am- 
phitheatre, and put into a den 
in which was an exceeding fierce 
she-lion, in the presence of a 
multitude of spectators. 

4 Trifina, without any sur- 
prise, accompanied Thecla, and 



the she-lion licked the feet ol 
Thecla. The title written which 
denotes her crime, was, Sacri- 
lege. Then the woman cried 
out, O God, the judgments of 
this city are unrighteous. 

5 After the beasts had been 
shewn, Trifina took Thecla home 
with her, and they went to bed ; 
and behold, the daughter of Tri- 
fina, who was dead, appeared to 
her mother, and said; Mother, 
let the young woman, Thecla, 
be reputed by you as your daugh- 
ter in my stead ; and desire her 
that she should- pray for me, 
that I may be translated to a 
state of happiness. 

6 Upon which Trifina, with a 
mournful air, said, My daughter 
Falconilla has appeared to me, 
and ordered me to receive you 
in her room ; wherefore I desire, 
Thecla, that you would pray for 
my daughter, that she may be 
translated into a state of happi- 
ness, and to life eternal. 

7 When Thecla heard this, she 
immediately prayed to the Lord, 
and said : O Lord God of heaven 
and earth, Jesus Christ, thou 
Son of the Most High, grant 
that her daughter Falconilla 
may live forever. Trifina hear- 
ing this groaned again, and said: 
O unrighteous judgments ! O 
unreasonable wickedness ! that 
such a creature should (again) 
be cast to the beasts ! 

8 If On the morrow, at break 
of day, Alexander came to Tri- 
fina's house, and said : The 
governor and the people are 
waiting ; bring the criminal 
forth. 

9 But Trifina ran in so violent- 



1 There being something wanting here in the old Greek MS., it i.' ed 

out of the old Latin version, which is in the Bodleian Library, Cod. >igb 39, 

rather than out of Simeon Metaphrastes, a writer of the eleventh ry. 

106 



The beasts refusing PAUL AND THECLA. to destroy Thecla. 



ly upon him, that he was affright- 
ed, and ran away. Trifina was one 

of the royal family ; and she thus 
expressed her sorrow, and said ; 
Alas ! I have trouble in my house 
on two accounts, and there is no 
one who will relieve me, either 
under the loss of my daughter, or 
my being unable to save Thecla. 
But now, O Lord God, be thou 
the helper of Thecla thy servant. 

10 While she was thus engag- 
ed, the governor sent one of his 
own officers to bring Thecla. 
Trifina took her by the hand, 
and, going with her, said : I went 
with Falconilla to her grave, and 
now must go with Thecla to the 
beasts. 

11 When Thecla heard this, 
she weeping prayed, and said : O 
Lord God, whom I have made my 
confidence and refuge, reward 
Trifina for her compassion to me, 
and preserving my chastity. 

12 Upon this there was a great 
noise in the amphitheatre; the 
beasts roared, and the people 
cried out, Bring in the criminal. 

13 But the woman cried out, 
and said : Let the whole city suf- 
fer for such crimes ; and order all 
of us, O governor, to the same 
punishment. O unjust judgment! 

cruel sight ! 

14 Others said, Let the whole 
city be destroyed for this vile ac- 
tion. Kill us all, O governor. O 
cruel sight ! O unrighteous judg- 
ment. 

CHAP. IX. 

1 Thecla thrown naked to the wild beasts ; 
2 they all refuse to attack her ; 8 
throws herself into a pit of water. 10 
other wild beasts refuse her. 11 Tied 
to wild, bulls. 13 Miraculously saved. 
21 Released. 24 Entertained by Tri. 
fina. 

THEN Thecla was taken out 
of the hand of Trifina, strip- 
ped naked, had a girdle put on, 



and thrown into the place ap- 
pointed for fighting with the 
beasts: and the lions and the 
bears were let loose upon her. 

2 But a she-lion, which was of 
all the most fierce, ran to Thecla, 
and fell down at her feet. Upon 
which the multitude of women 
shouted aloud. 

3 Then a she-bear ran fiercely 
towards her ; but the she-lion met 
the bear, and tore it to pieces. 

4 Again, a he-lion, who had 
been wont to devour men, and 
which belonged to Alexander, 
ran towards her; but the she- 
lion encountered the he-lion, and 
they killed each other. 

5 Then the women were under 
a greater concern, because the 
she-lion, which had helped The- 
cla, was dead. 

6 Afterwards they brought out 
many other w T ild beasts ; but 
Thecla stood with her hands 
stretched towards heaven, and 
prayed ; and when she had done 
praying, she turned about, and 
saw a pit of water, and said, Now 
it is a proper time for me to be 
baptized. 

7 Accordingly she threw her- 
self into the water, and said, In 
thy name, O my Lord Jesus 
Christ, I am this last day baptiz- 
ed. The women and the people 
seeing this, cried out, and said, 
Do not throw yourself into the 
water, And the governor him- 
self cried out, to think that the 
fish (sea-calves) were like to de- 
vour so much beauty. 

8 Tf Notwithstanding all this, 
Thecla threw herself into the 
water, in the name of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. 

9 But the fish (sea-calves,) 
when they saw the lighting and 
fire, were killed, and swam dead 
upon the surface of the water, 
and a cloud of fire surrounded 

107 



She is sawed 



PAUL AND THECLA. 



and released. 



Thecla, so that as the beasts could 
not conic near her, 80 the people 
could not Bee her nakedness. 

10 Yet they turned other wild 
lu'a>ts upon her; upon which 
they made a very mournful out- 
cry ; and some of them scattered 
spikenard, others cassia, others 
amomus (a sort of spikenard, or 
the herb of Jerusalem, or ladies- 
rose) others ointment ; so that 
the quantity of ointment was 
large, in proportion to the num- 
ber of people; and upon this all 
the beasts lay as though they 
had been fast asleep, and did not 
touch Thecla. 

11 Whereupon Alexander said 
to the Governor, I have some 
very terrible bulls ; let us bind 
her to them. To which the gover- 
nor, with concern, replied, You 
may do what you think fit. 

12 Then they put a cord round 
Thecla's waist, which bound also 
her feet, and with it tied her to 
the bulls, to whose privy-parts 
they applied red-hot irons, that 
so they being the more torment- 
ed, might more violently drag 
Thecla about, till they had kill- 
ed her. 

13 The bulls accordingly tore 
about, making a most hideous 
noise ; but the flame which was 
about Thecla, burnt off the cords 
which were fastened to the mem- 
bers of the bulls, and she stood 
in the middle of the stage, as un- 
concerned as if she had not been 
bound. 

14 But in the mean time Tri- 
fina, who sat upon one of the 
benches, fainted away and died ; 
upon which the w 7 hole city was 
under a very great concern. 

15 And Alexander himself was 
afraid, and desired the governor, 
saying : I entreat you, take com- 
passion on me and the city, and 
release this woman, who has 

108 



fought with the beasts ; lest, both 
you and T, and the whole city 
be destroyed : 

16 For if Caesar should have 
any account of what has passed 
now, he will certainly immediate- 
ly destroy the ci»y, because Tri- 
fina, a person of royal extract, 
and a relation of his, is dead upon 
her seat. 

17 Upon this the governor 
called Thecla from among the 
beasts to him, and said to her, 
Who art thou ? and what are thy 
circumstances, that not one of 
the beasts will touch thee ? 

18 Thecla replied to him ; I 
am a servant of the living God ; 
and as to my state, I am a be- 
liever on Jesus Christ his Son, 
in whom God is well pleased; 
and for that reason none of the 
beasts could touch me. 

19 He alone is the way to eter- 
nal salvation, and the foundation 
of eternal life. He is a refuge to 
those who are in distress ; a sup- 
port to the afflicted, hope and de- 
fence to those who are hopeless ; 
and, in a word, all those who do 
not believe on him, shall not live, 
but suffer eternal death. 

20 Tj When the governor heard 
these things, he ordered her 
clothes to be brought, and said 
to her put on your clothes. 

21 Thecla replied : May that 
God who clothed me when I was 
naked among the beasts, in the 
day of judgment clothe your 
soul with the robe of salvation. 
Then she took her clothes, and 

| put them on ; and the governor 
immediately published an order 
in these words ; I release to you 
Thecla the servant of God. 

22 Upon which the women 
cried out together with a loud 
voice, and with one accord gave 
praise unto God, and said ; There 
is but one God, who is the God 



Thecla visits Paul PAUL AND THECLA. and her mother. 



of Thecla; the one God who 
hath delivered Thecla. 

23 So loud were their voices 
that the whole city seemed to be 
shaken ; and Trifina herself 
heard the glad tidings, and 
arose again, and ran with the 
multitude to meet Thecla; and 
embracing her, said : Now I be- 
lieve there shall be a resurrec- 
tion of the dead ; now I am 
persuaded that my daughter is 
alive. Come therefore home with 
me, my daughter Thecla, and I 
will make over all that I have 
to you. 

24 So Thecla went with Tri- 
fina, and was entertained there 
a few days, teaching her the 
word of the Lord, whereby many 
young women were converted ; 
and there was great joy in the 
family of Trifina. 

25 But Thecla longed to see 
Paul, and inquired and sent 
everywhere to find him; and 
when at length she was informed 
that he was at Myra, in Lycia, 
she took with her many young 
men and women; and putting 
on a girdle, and dressing herself 
in the habit of a man, she went 
to him to Myra in Lycia, and 
there found Paul preaching the 
word of God ; and she stood by 
him among the throng. 

CHAP. X. 

1 Thecla visits Paul. 6 Visits Onesi- 
phorus. 8 Visits her mother. 9 Who 
repulses her. 12 Is tempted by the 
devil. Works miracles. 

BUT it was no small surprise 
to Paul when he saw her 
and the people with her ; for he 
imagined some fresh trial was 
coming upon them ; 

2 Which when Thecla per- 
ceived, she said to him : I have 
been baptized, O Paul; for he 
who assists you in preaching, 
has assisted me to baptize. 



3 Then Paul took her, and 
led her to the house of Hermes ; 
and Thecla related to Paul all 
that had befallen her in Antioch, 
insomuch that Paul exceedingly 
wondered, and all who heard 
were confirmed in the faith, and 
prayed for Trifina's happiness. 

4 Then Thecla arose, and said 
to Paul, I am going to Iconium. 
Paul replied to her: Go, and 
teach the worxl of the Lord. 

. 5 But Trifina had sent large 
sums of money to Paul, and also 
clothing by the hands of Thecla, 
for the relief of the poor. 

6 T| So Thecla went to Ico- 
nium. And when she came to 
the house of Onesiphorus, she 
fell down upon the floor where 
Paul had sat and preached, and, 
mixing tears with her prayers, 
she praised and glorified God in 
the following words : 

7 O Lord the God of this 
house, in which I was first en- 
lightened by thee ; O Jesus, son 
of the living God, who wast my 
helper before the governor, my 
helper in the fire, and my helper 
among the beasts ; thou alone 
art God forever and ever. Amen. 

8 Tf Thecla now (on her re- 
turn) found Thamyris dead, but 
her mother living. So calling 
her mother, she said to her : 
Theoclia, my mother, is it possi- 
ble for you to be brought to a 
belief, that there is but one Lord 
God, who dwells in the heavens ? 
If you desire great riches, God 
will give them to you by me ; if 
you want your daughter again, 
here I am. 

9 These and many other things 
she represented to her mother, 
(endeavouring) to persuade her 
(to her own opinion). But her 
mother Theoclia gave no credit 
to the things which were said by 
the martyr Thecla. 

109 



Works miracles. PAUL AND THECLA. Escape* defilement. 



10 So that Thecla perceiving 
she discoursed to no purpose, 
signing her whole body with the 
sign (of the cross), left the house 
and went to Daphine ; and when 
she came there, she went to the 
cave, where she had found Paul 
with Onesiphorus, and fell down 
on the ground ; and wept be- 
fore God. 

11 When she departed thence, 
she went to Seleucia, and en- 
lightened many in the knowledge 
of Christ. 

12 If And a bright cloud con- 
ducted her in her journey. 

13 And after she had arrived 
at Seleucia she went to a place 
out of the city, about the dis- 
tance of a furlong, being afraid 
of the inhabitants, because they 
were worshippers of idols. 

14 And she was led (by the 
eloud) into a mountain called 
Calamon, or Rodeon. There she 
abode many years, and under- 
went a great many grievous 
temptations of the devil, which 
she bore in a becoming manner, 
by the assistance which she had 
from Christ. 

15 At length certain gentle- 
women hearing of the virgin 
Thecla, went to her, and were 
instructed by her in the oracles 
of God, and many of them aban- 
doned this world, and led a mo- 
nastic life with her. 

1 6 Hereby a good report was 
spread everywhere of Thecla, 
and she wrought several (mira- 
culous) cures, so that all the city 
and adjacent countries brought 
their sick to that mountain, and 
before they came as far as the 
door of the cave, they were in- 
stantly cured of whatsoever dis- 
temper they had. 

17 The unclean spirits were 
cast out, making a noise ; all 
received their sick made whole, 

110 



and glorified God, who had be- 
stowed such power on the virgin 
1 Thecla ; 

18 Insomuch that the physi- 
cians of Seleucia were now of 
no more account, and lost all 
the profit of their trade, because 
no one regarded them ; upon 
which they were filled with envy, 
and began to contrive what 
methods to take with this ser- 
vant of Christ. 

CHAP. XL 

1 7s attempted to be ravished, 1 2 escapes 
by a rock opening, 17 and closing 
miraculously. 

THE devil then suggested bad 
advice to their minds ; and 
being on a certain day met to- 
gether to consult, they reasoned 
among each other thus: The 
virgin is a priestess of the great 
goddess Diana, and whatsoever 
she requests from her, is granted, 
because she is a virgin, and so is 
beloved by all the gods. 

2 Now then let us procure 
some rakish fellows, and after 
we have made them sufficiently 
drunk, and given them a good 
sum of money, let us order them 
to go and debauch this virgin, 
promising them, if they do it, a 
larger reward. 

3 (For they thus concluded 
among themselves, that if they 
be able to debauch her, the gods 
will no more regard her, nor 
Diana cure the sick for her.) 

4 They proceeded according 
to this resolution, and the fellows 
went to the mountain, and as 
fierce as lions to the cave, 
knocking at the door. 

5 The holy martyr Thecla, 
relying upon the God in whom 
she believed, opened the door, 
although she was before apprized 
of their design, and said to them, 



PAUL AND THECLA. 



Young men, what is your busi- 
ness ? 

6 They replied, Is there any 
one within, whose name is Tlie- 
cla? She answered, What would 
you have with her ? They said, 
We have a mind to lie with her. 

7 The blessed Thecla an- 
swered: Though I am a mean 
old woman, I am the servant of 
my Lord Jesus Christ ; and 
though you have a vile design 
against me, ye shall not be able 
to accomplish it. They replied : 
It is impossible but we must be 
able to do with you what we 
have a mind. 

8 And while they were saying 
this, they laid hold on her by 
main force, and would have 
ravished her. Then she with the 
(greatest) mildness said to them: 
Young men have patience, and 
see the glory of the Lord. 

9 And while they held her, 
she looked up to heaven and 
said ; O God most reverend, to 
whom none can be likened ; who 
makest thyself glorious over 
thine enemies ; who didst deliver 
me from the fire, and didst not 
give me up to Thamyris, didst 
not give me up to Alexander ; 
who deliveredst me from the 
wild beasts ; who didst preserve 
me in the deep waters ; who hast 
everywhere been my helper, 
and hast glorified thy name in 
me ; 

10 Now also deliver me from 
the hands of these wicked and 
unreasonable men, nor suffer 
them to debauch my chastity 
which I have hitherto preserved 
for thy honour ; for I love thee 
and long for thee, and worship 
thee, O Father, Son, and Holy 
Ghost, for evermore. Amen. 

11 Then came a voice from 



heaven, saying, Fear not, The- 
cla, my faithful servant, for i 
am with thee. Look and see the 
place which is opened for thee : 
there thy eternal abode shall be ; 
there thou shalt receive the 
beatific vision. 

12 The blessed Thecla observ- 
ing, saw the rock opened to as 
large a degree as that a man 
might enter in; she did as she 
was commanded, bravely fled 
from the vile crew, and went 
into the rock, which instantly so 
closed, that there was not any 
crack visible where it had open- 
ed. 

13 The men stood perfectly 
astonished at so prodigious a 
miracle, and had no power to 
detain the servant of God ; but 
only, catching hold of her veil, 
or hood, they tore off a piece of 
it; 

14 And even that was by the 
permission of God, for the con- 
firmation of their faith who 
should come to see this venerable 
place, and to convey blessings to 
those in succeeding ages, who 
should believe on our Lord Jesus 
Christ from a pure heart. 

15 Thus suffered that first 
martyr and apostle of God, and 
virgin, Thecla ; who came from 
Iconium at eighteen years of age; 
afterwards, partly in journeys 
and travels, and partly in a mo- 
nastic life in the cave, she lived 
seventy-two years; so that she 
was ninety years old when the 
Lord translated her. 

16 Thus ends her life. 

17 The day which is kept 
sacred to her memory, is the 
twenty-fourth of September, to 
the giory of the Father, and the 
Son, and the Holy Ghost, now 
and for evermore. Amen. 



Ill 



The FIRST EPISTLE of CLEMENT to the CORINTHIANS. 

Clement was a disciple of Peter, and afterwards Bishop of Rome. Clemens 
Alexandrinus calk him an apostle. Jerome says he was an apostolical 

man, and Rufinus that he was almost an apostle. Euscbius calls this 
the wonderful Epistle of St. Clement, and says that it was publicly read 
in the assemblies of the primitive church. It is included in one of the 
ancient collections of the Canon Scripture. Its genuineness has been 
much questioned, particularly by Photius, patriarch of Constantinople, 
in the ninth century, who objects that Clement speaks of worlds beyond 
the ocean ; that he has not written worthily of the divinity of Christ ; 
and that to prove the possibility of a future resurrection, he introduces 
the fabulous story of the phoenix's revival from its own ashes. To the 
latter objection, Archbishop Wake replies that the generality of the 
ancient Fathers have made use of the same instance in proof of the same 
point; and asks if St. Clement really believed that there was such a bird, 
and that it did revive out of the cinders of the body after burning, where 
was the great harm either in giving credit to such a wonder, or, believing 
it, to make such a use as he here does of it? — The present is the Arch- 
bishop's translation from the ancient Greek copy of the Epistle, which 
is at the end of the celebrated Alexandrine MS. of the Septuagint and 
New Testament, presented by Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria, to King 
Charles the First, now in the British Museum. The Archbishop, in 
prefacing his translation, esteems it a great blessing that this "Epistle" 
was at last so happily found out for the increase and confirmation both 
of our faith and our charity. 



CHAP. I. 

He commends them for their excellent 
order and piety in Christ, before their 
schism broke out. 

THE Church of God which l is 
at Rome, to the Church of 
God which is at Corinth, 2 elect, 
sanctified 3 by the will of God, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord: 
grace and peace from the Al- 
mighty God, by Jesus Christ be 
multiplied unto you. 4 

2 Tf Brethren, the 5 sudden 
and unexpected dangers and 
calamities that have fallen upon 
us, have, we fear, made us the 
more slow in our consideration 
of those things which you inquir- 
ed of us : 



3 6 As also of that wicked and 
detestable sedition, so 7 unbecom- 
ing the elect of God, which a 
few heady and self-willed men 
have fomented to such a degree 
of madness, that your venerable 
and renowned name, so worthy 
of all men to be beloved, is 
greatly blasphemed thereby. 

4 For who that has 8 ever been 
among you has not experimented 
the firmness of your faith, 9 and 
its fruitfulness in all good works ; 
and admired the temper and 
moderation of jour religion in 
Christ; and published abroad the 
magnificence of your hospitality ; 
and thought you happy in your 
perfect and certain knowledge 
of the Gospel ? 



1 Sojourn eth. 2 Called. See Hammond on Matt. xx. 3 Gr. in. 4 See Bp. 
Pearson's note on this place. Ed. Colornesii. p. 2. 5 Ibid. 6 And. 7 Gr. 
Strange to. 8 Gr. Lodged as a stranger. 9 Adorned with all manner of virtues. 

112 




[Page 64. 




CHRIST'S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM, AND CHRIST BEFORE PILATE. 

FROM INTAGLIOS IN A BOX OF KOCK CRYSTAL, BY A EARLY VENETIAN ARTIST 



[Page 67. 



How the divisions 



I. CLEMENT. in the church began. 



5 For ye did all things with- 
out respect of persons and walk- 
ed According to the laws of 
God ; being subject to those who 
had the rule over you, and 
giving the honour that was fit- 
ting to the 2 aged among you. 

6 Ye commanded the young 
man to think those things that 
were modest and grave. 

7 The women ye exhorted to 
do all things with an unblameable 
and seemly, and pure conscience ; 
loving their own husbands, as 
was fitting : and that keeping 
themselves within the 3 bounds of 
a due obedience, they should i 
order their houses gravely, with 
all 5 discretion. 

8 6 Ye were all of you humble 
minded, not 7 boasting of any 
thing: desiring rather to be sub- 
ject than to govern; to 8 give 
than to receive ; being 9 content 
with the portion God hath dis- 
pensed to you ; 

9 And hearkening diligently 
to his word, ye 10 were enlarged 
in your bowels, having his ll 
suffering always before your 
eyes. 

10 Thus a firm, and 12 blessed 
and profitable peace was given 
unto you ; and an unsatiable 
desire of doing good ; and a 
plentiful effusion of the Holy 
Ghost was upon all of you. 

11 And being full of 13 good 
designs, ye did with u great 
readiness of mind, and with a 
religious confidence stretch forth 
your hands to God Almighty ; 
beseeching him to be merciful 



f unto you, if in any thing ye had 
unwillingly sinned against him. 

12 Ye contended day and 
night for the whole brotherhood ; 
that l3 with compassion and a 
good conscience, the number of 
his elect might be saved. 

13 Ye were sincere, and with- 
out offence towards each other ; 
not mindful of injuries ; all se- 
dition and schism was an abom- 
ination unto you. 

14 Ye bewailed every one his 
neighbour's sins, esteeming their 
defects your own. 

15 Ye 16 were kind one to ano- 
ther without grudging ; being 
ready to every good work. And 
being adorned w T ith a conversa- 
tion altogether virtuous and reli- 
gious, ye did all things in the 
fear of God ; whose ^command- 
ments were written upon the 
tables of your heart. 

CHAP. II. 

Sow their divisions began. 

ALL honour and enlargement 
was given unto you ; and 
so was fulfilled that w T hich is 
written, 18 my beloved did eat and 
drink, he was enlarged and 
waxed fat, and he kicked. 

2 From hence came emula- 
tion, and envy, and strife, and 
sedition; persecution and 19 dis- 
order, war and captivity. 

3 So they who were of no 
renown, lifted up themselves 
against the honourable ; those of 
no reputation, against those who 
were in respect; the foolish 
against the wise ; the young men 
against the aged. 



l In. 2 Presbyters. 3 Canon, rule. 4 Themselves do their own business. 
Vid. Not. Junii in loc. 6 Temperance, sobriety. 6 1 Pet. v. 5. 7 Proud. 
8 Acts, xx. 35. 9 1 Tina. vi. 8. 10 Embraced it in vour very bowels. 
^Tradrjaara. See Dr. Grabe's Addit. to Bp. Bull's Def. fid. Nic. p. 60. 61. 
I2 Gr. ?u7rapa. 13 Holy counsel, or purpose, or will. u Gr. good. l3 Whh 
mercy and conscience. 16 Ye were without repentance in all well-doing. 
Titus iii. 1. l7 Prov. vii. 3. 18 Deut. xxxii. 15. 19 Confusion, tumults, &c. 

8 113 



Envy <md emulation I. CLEMENT. the original of strife. 



4 Therefore righteousness and 
peace are departed from you, 
because every one hath forsaken 

the i'ear of Grod ; and Is grown 
blind in his faith ; nor walketh 
by the rule of God's command- 
ments nor livcth as is fitting iu 
Christ : 

5 But every one l follows his 
own wicked lusts : having taken 
up an unjust and wicked envy, 
by which death first entered into 
the world. 

CHAP. III. 

Envy and emulation the original of all 
strife and disorder. Examples of the 
mischiefs they have occasioned. 

FOR thus it is written, 2 And 
in process of time it came 
to pass that Cain brought of the 
fruit of the ground an offering 
unto the Lord. And Abel, he 
also brought of the firstlings of 
his flock, and of the fat thereof: 

2 And the Lord had respect 
unto Abel, and to his offering. 
But unto Cain and unto his of- 
fering he had not respect. And 
Cain was very sorrowful, and his 
countenance fell. 

3 And the Lord said unto 
Cain, Why art thou sorrowful ? 
And why is thy countenance 
fallen? 3 If thou shalt offer 
aright, but not divide aright, 
hast thou not sinned ? Hold thy 
peace : unto thee shall be his 
* desire, and thou shalt rule over 
him. 

4 And Cain said unto Abel 
his brother, Let us go down into 
the field. And it came to pass, 
as they were in the field, that 



Cain rose up against Abel his 
brother, and slew him. 

5 Ye see, brethren, how envy 
and emulation wrought 6 thc 
death of a brother. For 6 this 
our father 7 Jacob fled from the 
lace of his brother Esau. 

6 It was this that caused 
8 Joseph to be persecuted even 
unto death, and to come into 
bondage. Envy forced 9 Moses 
to flee from the face of Pharaoh 
king of Egypt, when he heard 
his own countrymen ask him, 
10 Who made thee a Judge, and a 
ruler over us ? Wilt thou kill 
me as thou didst the Egyptian 
yesterday ? 

7 Through envy Aaron and 
Miriam were u shut out of the 
camp, from the rest of the con- 
gregation seven days. 

8 12 Emulation 13 sent Dathan 
and Abiram quick into the 
14 grave because they raised up a 
sedition against Moses the ser- 
vant of God. 

9 For this David 15 was not 
only hated of strangers, but was 
persecuted even by Saul the 
king of Israel. 

10 But 16 not to insist upon 
antient examples, let us come 
to those "worthies that have been 
nearest to us ; and take the 
brave examples of our own age. 

11 Through zeal and envy, 

18 the most faithful and righteous 

19 pillars of the church have been 
persecuted even to the most 
grievous deaths. 

12 Let us set before our eyes 
the holy Apostles ; Peter by un- 
just envy underwent not one or 



1 Walketh after. 5 Gen. iv. 3, &c 8 This is according to the lxx. 
4 ' h-KOGrpotyr], conversion. 5 Fratricide. 6 Envy. 7 Gen. xxviii. 8 Gen. xxxvii. 
9 Exodus ii. 15. 10 Exod. ii. 14. n Made to lodge out. 12 Num. xii. 14, 15. 
13 Brought. 14 Hades. l5 Had, or underwent the hatred, not only, &c. 
16 To cease from. 17 Combatants, wrestlers. 18 The faithful and most righteous. 
19 Good. 

114 



He exhorts them to 



I. CLEMENT. 



live by the rules. 



two, but many bufferings; Hill 
at last being martyred, he went 
to the place of glory that was 
due unto him. 

13 3 For the same cause did 
Paul in like manner receive the 
reward of his patience. Seven 
times 4 he was in bonds ; he was 
whipped,was stoned; he preached 
both in the East and in the 
West ; 5 leaving behind him the 
glorious report of his faith : 

14 And so having taught the 
whole world righteousness, and 
for that end travelled even to the 
utmost bounds of the West ; he 
at last suffered martyrdom 6 by 
the command of the governors, 

15 And departed out of the 
world, and went unto his holy 
place ; being become a most emi- 
nent pattern of patience unto 
all ages. 

16 To these 7 Holy Apostles 
were joined a very great number 
of others, who having through 
envy undergone in like manner 
many pains and torments, have 
8 left a glorious example to us. 

17 For 9 this not only men 
but women have been perse- 
cuted : 10 and having suffered 
very grievous and u cruel pun- 
ishments, have finished the 
course of their faith with firm- 
ness ; and though weak in body, 
yet received a glorious reward. 

18 "This has alienated the 
minds even of women from their 
husbands ; and changed what 
was once said by our father 
Adam ; 13 This is now bone of 
my bone, and flesh of my flesh. 

1 Labours. 2 And so. 3 By envy. 4 Having borne seven times bonds, &c. 
5 Pie received the, &c 6 Vid. Pearson de Success, c. viii. \ 9. 1 Men who 
have lived godly, is gathered together. 8 Become an excellent example 
among us. 9 Envy. 10 The names of Danae and Dirce I omit. — See Junius 
Annot. in loc. u Cursed afflictions or torments. 12 Envy or emulation. 
13 Gen. ii. 23. u Great. 15 End. 16 Instructing you, but also remembering, 
&c. 17 Place of encounter. 18 Imposed upon us all. 19 1 Tim. v. 4. 20 Afforded 
or given to. 2l Look diligently to. 22 From age to age. M Be turned. 24 2 
Peter ii. 5 ; Genesis vii. 25 John iii. 

115 



19 In a word, envy and strife, 
have overturned M whole cities, 
and rooted out great nations from 
off the earth. 



CHAP. IV. 

1 He exhorts them to live by the rules, 
and repent of their divisions, and 
they shall be forgiven. 

THESE things, beloved, we 
15 write unto you, not only 

16 for your instruction, but also 
for our own remembrance. 

2 For we are all in the same 

17 lists, and the same combat is 

18 prepared for us all. 

3 Wherefore let us lay aside 
all vain and empty cares; and 
let us come up to the glorious 
and venerable rule of our holy 
calling. 

4 19 Let us consider what is 
good, and acceptable and well- 
pleasing in the sight of him that 
made us. 

5 Let us look steadfastly to 
the blood of Christ, and see how 
precious his blood is in the sight 
of God: which being shed for 
our salvation, 20 has obtained the 
grace of repentance for all the 
world. 

6 Let us il search into all the 
ages that have gone before us ; 
and let us learn that our Lord 
has 22 in every one of them still 
given place for repentance to all 
such as would 23 turn to him. 

7 2i Noah preached repentance ; 
and as many as hearkened to him 
were saved. 25 Jonah denounced 



He seU before them the I. CLEMENT. examples of holy men. 

• Unit, ye shall cat the good of 
the land ; but if ye refuse and 
rebel, ye shall be devoured with 
the .-word; lor the mouth of the 
Lord hath spoken it. 

15 These things has God esta- 
blished by his Almighty will, 
desiring that all his beloved 
should come to repentance. 



destruction against the Nine-I 
vites: 

8 llowbeit they repenting of 
their .-ins, appeased God by their 
prayers : and ' were saved, 
though they were strangers to 
the covenant of God. 

9 If Hence we find how all 
the ministers of the grace of God 
have spoken by the Holy Spirit 
of repentance. And even the 
Lord of all has himself 2 declared 
with an oath concerning it ; 

10 3 As I live, saith the Lord, 
I desire not the death of a sin- 
ner, 4 but that he should repent. 
Adding farther this good sen- 
tence, saying : 5 Turn from your 
iniquity, O house of Israel. 

1 1 ti iSay unto the children of 
my people, Though your sins 
should reach from earth to hea- 
ven ; and though they shall be 
redder than scarlet, and blacker 
than sackcloth ; yet if ye shall 
turn to me with all your heart, 
and shall call me father, I will 
hearken to you, as to a holy 
people. 

12 And in another place he 
saith on this wise : 7 Wash ye, 
make you clean; put away 8 the 
evil of your doings from before 
mine eyes ; cease to do evil, learn 
to do well; seek judgment, re- 
lieve the oppressed, judge the 
fatherless, plead for the widow. 

13 Come now and let us rea- 
son together, saith the Lord : 
though your sins be as scarlet, 
they shall be as white as snow ; 
though they be red as crimson, 
9 they shall be as wool. 

14 If ye be willing and obe- 



CHAP. V. 

I He sets before them the examples of 
holy men, whose piety is recorded in 
the Scriptures. 

WHEREFORE let us obey 
his excellent and glorious 
will; and "imploring his mercy 
and goodness, let us fall down 
upon our faces before him, and 

II cast ourselves upon his mercy ; 
laying aside all 12 vanity, and 
contention, and envy which leads 
unto death. 

2 Let us look up to those who 
have the most perfectly minis- 
tered to his excellent glory. Let 
us take Enoch for our example ; 
who being found righteous in 
obedience, was 13 translated, and 
his death was not " known. 

3 Noah 15 being proved to be 
faithful, did by his ministry 
preach 16 regeneration to the 
world ; and the Lord saved by 
him all the living creatures, that 
went w with one accord into the 
ark. 

4 18 Abraham, who was called 
God's friend, was in like manner 
found faithful; inasmuch as he 
obeyed the 19 commands of God. 

5 By obedience 20 he went out 
of his own country, and from 



deceived salvation. 2 Spoken. 3 Ezekiel xxxiii. 11. 4 So much as his 
repentance. 5 Repent from. 6 Ezekiel xviii. 30, 23; Isaiah i.; Jeremiah 
iii. 4, 19. 7 Isaiah v. 16. 8 Evil from your souls. 9 I will make them as wool. 
10 Becoming suppliants of, &c n Turn ourselves to his mercy. 12 Vain 
labour. 13 Gen. v. 24. u Found. 15 Being found. 16 Gen. vi., vii., viii. 
17 In unity. la James ii. 23; Isaiah xli. 8. 19 Words. 20 This 

man. 

116 



Examples eminent for I. CLEMENT. kindness and charity. 



his own kindred, and from his 
lather's house : that so forsaking 
a small country, and a weak affi- 
nity, and a little house, he might 
inherit the promises of God. 

6 For thus God said unto 
him ; ' get thee out of thy coun- 
try, and from thy kindred, and 
from thy father's house, unto a 
land that I will show thee. 

7 And I will make thee a 
great nation, and will bless thee, 
and make thy name great, and 
thou shalt be blessed. And I 
will bless them that bless thee, 
and curse them that curse thee ; 
and in thee shall all families of 
the earth be blessed. 

8 And again when he sepa- 
rated himself from Lot, God 
said unto him; 2 Lift up now 
thine eyes, and look from the 
place where thou art northward 
and southward and eastward and 
3 westward for all the land which 
thou seest, to thee will I give it, 
and to thy seed for ever. 

9 And I will make thy seed 
as the dust of the earth, so that 
if a man can number the dust 
of the earth, then shall thy seed 
also be numbered. 

10 And again he saith : and 
*God brought forth Abraham, 
and said unto him; Look now 
toward heaven, and tell the stars, 
if thou be able to number them: 
so shall thy seed be. 

11 And Abraham believed 
God, and it was counted to him 
for righteousness. 

12 Through faith and hospi- 
tality, 5 he had a son given him 
in his old age ; and through 



obedience he offered him up in 
sacrifice to God, upon one of the 
mountains which God showed 
unto him. 

CHAP. YI. 

1 And particularly such as have been 
eminent for their kindness and charity 
to their neighbours. 

BY 6 hospitality and godliness 
was Lot saved out of Sodom, 
when all the country round 
about was 7 destroyed by fire 
and brimstone: 

2 The Lord thereby making 
it manifest, that he will not for- 
sake those that trust in him; 
but 8 will bring the disobedient 
to punishment and correction. 

3 For his wife who went out 
with him, being of a different 
mind, 9 and not continuing in the 
same obedience, was for that rea- 
son 10 set forth for an example, 
being turned into a pillar of salt 
unto this day. 

4 That so all men may know, 
that those who are double mind- 
ed, and distrustful of the power 
of God, are "prepared for con- 
demnation, and to be a sign to 
all succeeding ages. 

5 I2 By faith and hospitality 
was Rahab the harlot saved. 
For when the spies were sent by 
Joshua the son of Nun, to search 
out Jericho and the king of 
Jericho knew that they were 
come to spy out his country ; 
13 he sent men to take them, so 
that they might be put to death. 

6 14 Rahab therefore being hos- 
pitable, received them, and hid 



1 Gen. xii. 1. 2 Gen. xiii. 14. 3 Towards the sea. 4 Gen. xv. 5. 
5 A son was given unto him. 6 Gan. xix. 2 ; 2 Peter ii. 6 ; Jude 7. 
7 See Not. in loc. or punished with. 8 But those that turn another way, he 
puts, &c. 9 ]Sot in concord. 10 Put for a sign. n Become. 12 Jos. ii. 1, &c. 
13 He sent men that should take them, that being taken, &c. u Therefore 

hospitable Bahab. 

117 



What rules are given I. CLEMENT. 



for this purpose. 



them under the stalks of flax, on 
the top of her house. 

7 And when the ' messengers 
thai were scut by the king came 
unto her, and asked her, saying, 
2 There came men unto thee to 
spy out the land, bring them 
forth, for so hath the king com- 
manded : She answered, 3 The 
two men whom ye seek came 
unto me, but presently they de- 
parted, and are gone : 4 Not dis- 
covering them unto them. 

8 Then she said to the 5 spies, 
6 1 know that the Lord your God 
7 has given this city into your 
hands; for the fear of you is 
fallen upon all that dwell there- 
in. When, therefore, ye shall 
have taken it 8 ye shall save me 
and my father's house. 

9 And they answered her, 
saying, It shall be as thou hast 
spoken to us. 9 Therefore, when 
thou shalt know that we are 
near thou shalt gather all thy 
family together upon the house- 
top, and they shall be saved : 
but all that shall be found with- 
out thy house, shall be de- 
stroyed. 

10 10 And they gave her more- 
over a sign : that she should 
hang out of her house a scarlet 
rope ; u shewing thereby, that by 
the blood of our Lord, there 
should be redemption to all that 
believe and hope in God. Ye see, 
beloved, how there was not only 
faith, but prophecy too in this 
woman. 



CHAP. VII. 

1 WJiat rules are given for this purpose. 

LET us, therefore, humble our- 
selves, brethren, laying aside 

all pride, and boasting, and fool- 
ishness, and anger: And let us 
do as it is written. 

2 For thus saith the Holy 
Spirit; 12 Let not the wise man 
glory in his wisdom, nor the 
strong man in his strength, nor 
the rich man in his riches ; but 
let him that glorieth, glory in 
the Lord, to seek him, and to do 
judgment and justice. 

3 Above all, remembering the 
words of the Lord Jesus, which 
he spake 13 concerning equity and 
long suffering, u saying, 

4 15 Be ye merciful and ye 
shall obtain mercy ; forgive, and 
ye shall be forgiven : as ye do, 
so shall it be done unto you : as 
ye give, so shall it be given unto 
you : as ye judge, so shall ye be 
judged ; as ye are kind to others 
so shall God be kind to you : 
with what measure ye mete, 
with the same shall it be mea- 
sured to you again. 

5 By this command, and by 
these rules, let us establish our- 
selves, that so we may always 
walk obediently to his holy 
words ; being humble minded : 

6 For so says 16 the Holy Scrip- 
ture ; 17 upon whom shall I look, 
even upon him that is poor and 
of a contrite spirit, and that 
trembles at my word. 

7 T It is, therefore, just and 
18 righteous, men and brethren, 
that we should become obedient 
unto God, rather than follow 



1 Men being sent by the king, and saying. 2 Verse 4. 3 Verses 4, 5. 

4 Vid. Conjecture. Coteler. in ]oc. 5 Men. 6 Verse 9. 7 Given you 

this city. 8 Verse 13. 9 Verses 18, 19. 10 Verse 18. "Mauyofthe 
Fathers have applied this to the same purpose. — See not. Coteler . in loc. 
12 Jer. ix. 23. Comp. 2 Cor. xi. 31. "Teaching us. u For thus he saith. 
15 Luke vi. 35. 16 Holy Word. "Isaiah lxvi. 2. 18 Holy. 
118 



He advises them 



I. CLEMENT. 



to be Immble. 



such as l through pride and 
sedition, have made themselves 
the ring-leaders of a detestable 
emulation. 

8 For it is not an ordinary 
harm that we shall do ourselves, 
but rather a very great danger 
that we shall run, if we shall 
rashly give up ourselves to the 
wills of men who 2 promote strife 
and seditions, to turn us aside 
from that which is fitting. 

9 But let us be kind to one 
another, according to the compas- 
sion and sweetness of him that 
made us. 

10 For it is written, 3 The 
merciful shall inherit the earth ; 
and they that are without evil 
shall be left upon it : * but the 
transgressors shall perish from 
off the face of it. 

11 And again he saith, 6 1 
have seen the wicked in great 
power and spreading himself like 
the cedar of Libanus. I passed 
by, and lo ! he was not ; I sought 
his place, but it could not be 
found. 

12 Keep innocently, and do 
the thing that is right, for there 
shall be a remnant to the peace- 
able man. 

13 Let us, therefore, hold fast 
to those who 6 religiously follow 
peace ; and not to such as 7 only 
pretend to desire. 

14 For he saith in a certain 
place, 8 This people honoureth 
me with their lips, but their 
heart is far from me. 

15 And again, They 9 bless 
with their mouths, 10 but curse 
in their hearts. 



16 And again he saith, n They 
loved him with their mouths, and 
with their tongues they lied to 
him. For their heart was not 
right with him, neither were they 
faithful in his covenant. 

17 12 Let all deceitful lips be- 
come dumb, and the tongue that 
speaketh proud things. Who 
have said, 13 with our tongue will 
we prevail ; our lips are our own, 
who is Lord over us. 

18 For the oppression of the 
poor, for the sighing of the needy, 
now will I arise saith the Lord ; 
I will set him in safety, I will 
deal confidently with him. 

CHAP. VIII. 

JBTe advises them to be humble ; and that 
from the examples of Jesus and of holy 
men in all ages. 

FOR Christ is theirs who are 
humble, and not who exalt 
themselves over his flock. The 
sceptre of the majesty of God, 
our Lord Jesus Christ, came not 
in the u shew of pride and arro- 
gance, 15 though he could have 
done so ; but with humility as 
the Holy Ghost had before spoken 
concerning him. 

2 For thus he saith, Lord, 
16 who hath believed our report, 
and to whom is the arm of the 
Lord revealed? For he shall 
grow up before him as a tender 
plant, and as a root out of a dry 
ground. 

3 He hath no form or come- 
liness, and when we shall see 
him, there is no beauty that we 
should desire him. 



1 In. 2 Prick on to. — See Junius Ann. 3 Psalm xxxvii. 9. * Prov. ii. 10. 
5 Psalm lxviii. 36. 6 With religion or godliness. 7 With hypocrisy "will it. 
8 Isaiah xxix. 13. Psalm lxii. 4. 9 Blessed. 10 Cursed. u Psalm lxxviii. 
36. 37. 12 Psalm xii. 3. 13 We will magnify our tongue. u Boasting. 

15 KaiTrsp dwajuEvog, though he were powerful. 16 Isaiah liii. according to the 
Hebrew. 

119 



1\ rsuades to 



I. CLEMENT. healing of differences. 



14 Therefore will [divide him 
a p irtioD with the great, and lie 

shall divide tlu' spoil with the 
Btrong; because he hath poured 
out his soul unto death ; and he 
was numbered with the trans- 
gressors, and he bare the siu of 
many, and made intercession for 
the transgressors. 

15 And again he himself saith, 
1 1 am a worm and no man, a re- 
proach of men, and despised of 
the people. All they that see 
me laugh me to scorn ; they 
shoot out their lips, they shake 
their heads, saying : He trusted 
in the Lord that he would de- 
liver him, let him deliver him 
seeing he delighted in him. 

16 Ye see, beloved, what the 
pattern is that has been given to 
us. For if the Lord thus hum- 
bled himself, what should we do 
w T ho are brought 2 by him under 
the yoke of his grace ? 

17 Let us be followers of those 
who went about in goat-skins 
and sheep-skins ; preaching the 
coming of Christ. 

18 3 Such were Elias, and Eli- 
sa3us, and Ezekiel the prophets. 
4 And let us add to these such 
others as have received the like 
testimony. 

19 Abraham has been greatly 
witnessed of; having been called 
the friend of God. And yet he 
steadfastly beholding the glory 
of God, says with all humility, 

| 5 1 am dust and ashes. 

20 Again of Job it is thus 
written, 6 That he was just and 
without blame, true ; one that 

[ served God, and abstained from 
all evil. Yet he accusing him- 

j self, says, ' No man is free from 
pollution, no not though he 
should live but one day. 

I 21 Moses was called faithful 

1 Psalm xxii. 6. 2 MS. 6t avrcv. 3 We say. 4 To these, tho^e also that 
have been witnessed of. 6 Gen. xviii. 27. 6 Job i. 1. 7 Job xiv- 4. 

120 



4 lie is despised and rejected 

of men ; a man *d" sorrows and 
acquainted with grief 

5 And we hid, as it were, our 
faces from him ; he was despised, 
and we esteemed him not. 

6 Surely he hath born our 
griefs, and carried our sorrows: 
yet we did esteem him stricken, 
smitten of God, and afflicted. 

7 But he was wounded for our 
transgressions ; he was bruised 
for our iniquities ; the chastise- 
ment of our peace was upon him ; 
and with his stripes we are healed. 

8 All we like sheep have gone 
astray ; w T e have turned every 
one to his own way, and the 
Lord hath laid on him the ini- 
quity of us all. 

9 He was oppressed, and he 
w r as afflicted, yet he opened not 
his mouth : he is brought as a 
lamb to the slaughter ; and as a 
sheep before her shearers is dumb, 
so he openeth not his mouth. 

10 He was taken from prison, 
and from judgment ; and who 
shall declare his generation? For 
he was cut off out of the land of 
the living, for the transgressions 
of my people was h3 stricken. 

11 And he made his grave 
with the wicked, and with the 
rich in his death ; because he 
had done no violence, neither 
w T as any deceit in his mouth. 

12 Yet it pleased the Lord to 
bruise him, he hath put him to 
grief; when thou shalt make his 
soul an offering for sin, he shall 
see his seed, he shall prolong his 
days ; and the pleasure of the 
Lord shall prosper in his hand. 

13 He shall see of the travail 
of his soul and shall be satisfied ; 
by his knowledge shall my right- 
eous servant justify many : for 
he shall bear their iniquities. 





THE TWO SPIES SENT BY JOSHUA TO JERICHO, AND THEIR ESCAPE FROM 

THE HOUSE FROM RAHAB. IPa.ee 117. 



FROM MOSAICS OF THE FIFTH CENTURY IN THE CHURCH OF ST. MARIA MAGGTORE, ROME 



Persuades to 



I. CLEMENT. healing of differences. 



in all God's House ; and by Lis 
conduct l the Lord punished Is- 
rael by stripes and plagues. 

22 And even this man, though 
thus greatly honoured, spake not 
greatly of himself ; but when the 
oracle of God was delivered to 
him out of the bush he said, 
2 Who am I, that thou dost send 
me ? I am of a slender voice, and 
a slow tongue. 

23 And again he saith, 3 1 am 
as the smoke of the pot. 

24 And what shall we say of 
David, so highly testified of in 
the Holy Scriptures ? To whom 
God said * I have found a man 
after my own heart, David the 
son of Jesse, with my holy oil 
have I anointed him. 

25 But yet he himself saith 
unto God, 5 Have mercy upon 
me, O God, according to thy 
loving kindness ; according unto 
the multitude of thy tender mer- 
cies, blot out my transgressions. 

26 Wash me thoroughly from 
mine iniquity, and cleanse me 
from my sin ! For I acknow- 
ledge my transgressions, and my 
sin is ever before me. 

27 Against Thee only have I 
sinned, and done this evil in thy 
sight, that thou mightest be 
justified when thou speakest, and 
be clear when thou judgest. 

28 Behold I was shapen in 
iniquity, and in sin did my 
mother conceive me. 

29 Behold, thou desireth truth 
in the inward parts ; and in the 
hidden part thou shalt make me 
to know wisdom. 

30 Purge me with hyssop and 
I shall be clean, wash me and I 
shall be whiter than snow. 

31 Make me to hear joy and 



gladness, that the bones which 
thou hast broken may rejoice. 

32 Hide thy face from my 
sins, and blot out all mine ini- 
quities. 

33 Create in me a clean heart 
O God ; and renew a right spirit 
within me. 

34 Cast me not away from 
thy presence, and take not thy 
holy spirit from me. 

35 Restore unto me the joy 
of thy salvation, and uphold me 
with thy free spirit. 

36 Then I will teach trans- 
gressors thy ways, and sinners 
shall be converted unto thee. 

37 Deliver me from blood- 
guiltiness, O God, thou God of 
my salvation, and my tongue 
shall sing aloud of thy righteous- 
ness. 

38 O Lord open thou my lips, 
and my mouth shall show forth 
thy praise. 

39 For thou desirest not sacri- 
fice, else would I give it ; thou 
delightest not in burnt offerings. 

40 The sacrifices of God are 
a broken spirit, a broken and a 
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt 
not despise. 

CHAP. IX. 

He again persuades them to compose their 
divisions. 

THUS has the humility and 
6 godly fear of these 7 great 
and excellent men, 8 recorded in 
the Scriptures, through obedi- 
ence, made not only us, but also 
the generations before us better; 
even as many as have received 
his holy oracles 9 with fear and 
truth. 

2 Having therefore so many, 



1 MS. EKpi.vev o Oeoe tov \aoarfk 6i.a tov ^aariyuv. 2 Exoa. iii. 11. 3 Exod. iv. 
10. i Psalm lxxxix. 20. 5 Psalm li. to v- 17, according to the Hebrew. 



6 Fearfulness. 
brated. 9 In. 



7 So great and such kind of men. 



8 Witnessed of, or cele- 

121 



and to obedience. 



I. CLEMENT. 



Of faith. 



and such great and glorious 1 
examples, 2 let us return to that 
peace which was the mark that 
from the beginning was set be- 
fore us ; 

3 Let us look up to the Father 
and Creator of the whole world ; 
and let us hold fast to his glorious 
and exceeding gifts and benefits 
of peace. 

4 Let us 3 consider and behold 
with the eyes of our 4 understand- 
ing his long-suffering will ; and 
think how gentle and patient he 
is towards his whole creation. 

5 The heavens moving by his 
appointment, are subject to him 
in peace. 

6 Day and night accomplish 
the courses that he has allotted 
unto them, not disturbing one 
another. 

7 The sun and moon, and all 
the several 5 companies and con- 
stellations of the stars, run the 
6 courses that he has appointed 
to them in concord, without de- 
parting in the least from them. 

8 The fruitful earth yields its 
food plentifully in due season 
both to man and beast, and to 
all animals that are upon it, ac- 
cording to his will ; not 7 disput- 
ing, nor altering any thing of 
what was ordered by him. 

9 So also the unfathomable 
and unsearchable floods of the 
deep, are kept in by his com- 
mand ; 

10 8 And the 9 conflux of the 
vast sea, being brought together 
by his order into its several col- 
lections, passes not the bounds 
that he has set to it ; 

11 But as he 10 appointed it, 
so it remains. For he said, 11 



Hitherto shalt thou come, and 
thy floods shall be broken with- 
in thee. 

12 The ocean, impassable to . 
mankind, and the worlds that \ 
are beyond it, are governed by 
the same commands of their 
great master. 

13 Spring and summer, autumn 
and winter, give place peaceably 
to each other. 

14 The several 12 quarters of 
the winds fulfil their 13 work in 
their seasons, without offending 
one another. 

15 The ever-flowing fountains, 
made both for pleasure and 
health, never fail to reach out 
their breasts to support the life 
of men. 

16 Even the smallest creatures 
14 live together in peace and con- 
cord with each other. 

17 All these has the Great 
Creator and Lord of all, com- 
manded to observe peace and 
concord ; being good to all. 

18 But especially to us who 
flee to his mercy through our 
Lord Jesus Christ ; to whom be 
glory and majesty for ever and 
ever. Amen. 



CHAP. X. 

He exhorts them to obedience, from the 
consideration of the goodness of God, 
and of his presence in every place. 

TAKE heed, beloved, that his \ 
many blessings be not to 15 
us to condemnation ; except we 
shall walk worthy of him, doing 
with 16 one consent what is good 
and pleasing in his sight. 

2 1T The spirit of the Lord is a \ 



1 Deeds or works. 2 Let u=< return to the mark of peace eriven to us from the 
beginning. 3 S^e him with our understanding. 4 Soul. 6 Choruses. 

6 Bounds. 7 Doubting. 8 Vid. Edit. Colonies, p. 53. 9 Hollow, or depth. 
10 Commanded, so it does. n Jobxxxiii. 12 Stations. "Survive. l4 Mix 
together. l5 All of us. la With concord. 17 Prov. xx. 27. 

122 



Sow we must live that I. CLEMENT. we may please God. 



caudle, searching out the inward 
parts of the belly. 
I 3 Let us therefore consider 
\ how near he is to us ; and how 
that none of our thoughts, or 
reasonings which we frame with- 
in ourselves, are x hid from him. 

4 It is therefore just that we 
should not forsake our rank, by 
doing contrary to his will. 

5 Let us choose to offend a few 
foolish and inconsiderate men, 
lifted up and glorying 2 in their 
own pride, rather than God. 

t6 Let us reverence our Lord 
Jesus Christ whose blood was 
given for us. 

7 Let us honour those who 
are set over us ; let us respect 
the aged that are amongst us; 
and let us instruct the younger 
men, in the discipline and fear 
of the Lord. 

8 Our wives let us 3 direct to 
do that which is good. 

9 Let them show forth a lovely 
habit of purity in all their con- 
versation; with a sincere * affec- 
tion of meekness. 

10 Let the 5 government of 
their tongues 6 be made manifest 
by their silence. 

11 Let their charity be with- 
out respect of persons alike to- 
wards all such as religiously fear 
God. 

12 Let your children 7 be bred 
{ up in the instruction of Christ : 

13 And especially let them 
\ learn how great a power humility 

has with God ; how much a pure 
and holy charity avails with 
him; how excellent and great 
his fear is ; and how it will 8 save 
all such as turn to him with 
holiness in a pure mind. 



( 



1-4 For he is the searcher of 
the thoughts and counsels of the 
heart; whose breath is in us, 
and when he pleases he can take 
it from us. 

CHAP. XL 

Of faith, and particularly what we are 
to believe as to the resurrection. 

BUT all these things 9 must be 
confirmed by the faith \ 
which is in Christ ; for so he 
himself bespeaks us by the Holy 
Ghost. 

2 10 Come ye children and 
hearken unto me, and I will teach 
you the fear of the Lord. What 
man is there that desireth life, 
and loveth to see good days ? 

3 Keep thy tongue from evil, 
and thy lips that they speak no 
guile. 

4 Depart from evil and do 
good ; seek peace and ensue it. 

5 The eyes of the Lord are 
upon the righteous, and his ears 
are open unto their prayers. 

6 But the face of the Lord is 
against them that do evil, to cut 
off the remembrance of them 
from the earth. 

7 The righteous cried, and the 
Lord heard him, and delivered 
him out of all his troubles. 

8 Many are the troubles of 
the wicked ; but they that trust 
in the Lord, mercy shall encom- 
pass them about. 

9 Our all-merciful and benefi- 
cent Father hath bowels of com- 
passion towards them that fear 
him ; and kindly and lovingly 
bestows his graces upon all such 
as come to him with a simple 
mind. 



1 That nothing is hid to him of our thoughts, or reasonings. 2 In the pride 
of their own speech, or reason. s Correct, or amend. 4 Will, or counsel. 
5 Moderation. 6 Let them manifest. 7 Partake of. 8 Saving. 9 The faith 



confirms. 10 Psalm xxiv. 11. 



123 



Various proofs 



I. CLEMENT. 



from nature 



10 Wherefore let us not l war 
ver, aeither Let us have any 
doubt in our hearts, of his excel- 
Join and glorious gifts. 

11 - Let that be far from us 
which i> written, 'Miserable are 
the double-minded, and those 
who are doubtful in their hearts. 

12 Who say these things have 
we heard, and our fathers have 
told us these things. But behold 
we are grown old, and none of 
them has happened unto us. 

13 O ye fools! * consider the 
trees : take the vine for an ex- 
ample. First it sheds its leaves; 
then it buds ; after that it spreads 
its leaves ; then it flowers ; then 
come the sour grapes ; and after 
them follows the ripe fruit. Ye 
see how in a little time the fruit 
of the tree comes to maturity. 

14 Of a truth, yet a little 
while and his will shall suddenly 
be accomplished. 

15 The Holy Scripture itself 
bearing witness, That 5 He shall 
quickly come and not tarry, and 
that the Lord shall suddenly 
come to his temple, even the 
6 holy ones whom ye look for. 

16 Let us consider, beloved, 
how the Lord does continually 
shew us, that there shall be a 
future resurrection; of which he 
has made our Lord Jesus Christ 
the first fruits, raising him from 
the dead. 

17 Let us 7 contemplate, belov- 
ed, the resurrection that is 8 con- 
tinually made before our eyes. 

18 Day and night manifest a 
resurrection to us. The night 
lies down, and the day arises : 
again the day departs, and the 
night comes on. 

19 Let us behold the fruits of 



the earth. Every one sees how 
the seed is sown. The sower 
- forth, and easts it upon 
the earth ; and the ^ved which 
when it was sown fell upon the 
earth dry and naked, in time 
dissolves. 

20 And from the dissolution, 
the great power of the provi- 
dence of the Lord raises it again ; 
and of one seed many arise, and 
bring forth fruit. 

CHAP. XII. 

The Resurrection further proved. 

LET us consider that wonder- 
ful 10 type of the resurrection 
which is seen in the Eastern 
countries ; that is to say, in 
Arabia. 

2 There is a certain bird called 
a Phoenix ; of this there is never 
but one at a time: and that 
lives five hundred years. And 
when the time of its dissolution 
draws near, that it must die, it 
makes itself a nest of frankin- 
cense, and myrrh, and other 
spices into which when its time 
is fulfilled it enters and dies. 

3 But its flesh putri tying, 
breeds a certain worm, which 
being nourished with the juice 
of the dead bird brings forth 
feathers ; and when it is grown 
to a perfect state, it takes up the 
nest in which the bones of its 
parents lie, and carries it from 
Arabia into Egypt, to a city 
called Heliopolis : 

4 And flying in open day in 
the sight of all men, lays it upon 
the altar of the sun, and so re- 
turns from whence it came. 

5 The priests then search into 
the records of the time; and 
find that it returned precisely at 
the end of five hundred years. 



1 Be double-minded. 2 Let the writing be far from us. 3 James i. 8. 
4 Compare yourselves unto a tree. 5 Ex. MS. omitted by James, Hab. ii. 3; 
Malach. ii i. 1. 6 Coteler. Ayyeloe Angel. 7 See. 8 Made every season. 
9 Went forth, and so in the rest. 10 Sign. 
124 



of the resurrection. 



I. CLEMENT. 



God's vengeance. 



6 And ' shall we then think 
it to be any very great and 
strange thing for the Lord of all 
to raise up those that religiously 
serve him in the assurance of a 
good faith, when even by a bird 
he shews us the greatness of his 
power to fulfil his promise ? 

7 For he says in a certain 
place, Thou shalt raise me up, 
and I shall confess unto thee. 

8 And again 2 I laid me down 
and slept, and awaked, because 
thou art with me. 

9 And again, Job says, 3 Thou 
shalt raise up this flesh of mine, 
that has suffered all these things. 

10 Having therefore this hope, 
let us 4 hold fast to him who is 
faithful in all his promises, and 
righteous in all his judgments ; 
who has commanded us not to 
lie : how much more will he not 
himself lie ? 

11 For nothing is impossible 
with God but to lie. 

12 Let his faith then be stirred 
up again in us ; and let us con- 
sider that all things are nigh 
unto him. 

13 By the word of his 5 power 
he made all things; and by 6 the 
same word he is able (whenever 
he will"), to destroy them. 

14 Who shall say unto him, 
what dost thou? or who shall 
resist the power of his strength V 

15 When, and as he pleased, 8 
he will do all things; and nothing 
shall pass away of all that has 
been determined by him. 

16 All things are open before 
him ; nor can anything be hid 
from his council. 

17 9 The heavens declare the 
glory of God, and the firmament 
sheweth his handy work. Day 



unto day uttereth speech, and 
night unto night sheweth know- 
ledge. There is no speech nor 
language where their voice is 
not heard. 

CHAP. XIII. 

It is impossible to escape the vengeance 
of God, if we continue in sin. 

SEEING then all things are 
seen and heard by God ; let 
us fear him, and let us lay aside 
our wicked works which proceed 
from ill desires ; that through 
his mercy we may be 10 delivered 
from the "condemnation to come. 

2 For whither can any of us 
flee from his mighty hand ? Or 
what world shall receive any of 
those who run away from him ? 

3 For thus saith the Scripture 
in a certain place, 12 Whither 
shall I flee from thy Spirit, or 
where shall I hide myself from 
thy presence ? 

4 If I ascend up into heaven, 
thou art there ; if I shall go to 
the utmost part of the earth, 
there is thy right hand : If I 

j shall make my bed in the deep, 
j thy Spirit is there. 

5 Whither then shall any one 
go ; or whither shall he run 
from him that comprehends all 
things ? 

6 Let us therefore come to 
him with holiness of 13 heart, lift- 
ing up chaste and undefiled 
hands unto him ; loving our gra- 
cious and merciful Father, who 
has made us u to partake of his 
election. 

7 For so it is written, 15 When 
the Most High divided the na- 
tions, when he separated the 
sons of Adam, he set the bounds 
of the nations, according to the 
number of his angels ; 16 his peo- 



1 Do. 2 Psalm 
6 Majesty. 6 His 



4 Let our minds be fastened. 



8 MS. iroi7?oet. 9 If 



iii. 5. 3 Job xix. 23. 

word. 7 Wisd. xii. 12 
Psalm xix. 1. 10 Covered. n Judgments. l2 Psalm cxxxix. 7. 
14 A part. 15 Deut. xxxii. 8, 9. 16 So the lxx. 

125 



the, &c., 
13 Mind. 



lime to live 



I. CLEMENT. 



to please Hod. 



pie Jacob became the portion of 
the Lord, and Israel the lot of* 
his Inheritance. 

8 And mi another place he 
saith, ' Behold the Lord taketh 
unto himself a nation, out of the 
midst of the nations, as a man 
taketh the first-fruits of his 
flower ; "and the Most Holy shall 
come out of that nation. 
CHAP. XIV. 

Hiw we must lice that we may please God. 

WHEREFORE we being a 
part of the Holy One, let 
us do all those things that per- 
tain unto holiness: 

2 Fleeing all evil-speaking 
against one another ; all filthy 
aud impure embraces, together 
with all drunkenness, youthful 
lusts, abominable concupiscences, 
detestable adultery, and exe- 
crable pride. 

3 3 For God, saith he, resisteth 
the proud, but giveth grace to 
the humble. 

4 Let us therefore hold fast 
to those to whom 4 God has given 
His grace. 

5 And let us put on concord, 
being humble, temperate; free 
from all whispering and detrac- 
tion; and justified by our 5 
actions, not our words. 

6 For he saith, 6 Doth he that 
speaketh and heareth many 
things, and that is of a ready 
tongue, suppose that he is right- 
eous? T Blessed is he that is born 
of a woman, that liveth but a 
few days: 8 use not therefore 
much speech. 

7 Let our praise be of God, 
not of ourselves ; for God hateth 
those that 9 commend themselves. 



8 Let the witness of our good 
actions be given to us of others, 
as it was given to the holy men 
that went before us. 

9 Rashness, and arrogance, 
and confidence, belong to them 
who are accursed of God : but 
equity, and humility, and mild- 
ness, to such as are blessed by 
him. 

10 Let us then lay hold of his 
blessing, and let us l0 consider 
what are the ways by which we 
may attain unto it. 

11 Let us u look back upon 
those things that have happened 
from the beginning. 

12 For w r hat was our father 
Abraham blessed ? Was it not 
because that through faith he 
wrought righteousness and truth ? 

13 Isaac being 12 fully persuad- 
ed of what he knew was to come, 
cheerfully yielded himself up for 
a sacrifice. Jacob with humility 
departed out of his own country, 
fleeing from his brother, and 
went unto Laban and served 
him ; and so the sceptre of the 
twelve tribes of Israel was given 
unto him. 

14 Now what the greatness of 
13 this Gift was, will plainly ap- 
pear, if we shall take the pains 
distinctly to consider all the parts 
of it. 

15 For from him came the 
priests and Levites, who all 
ministered at the altar of God. 

16 From him came our Lord 
Jesus Christ according to the 
flesh. 

1 7 From him came the kings, 
and princes, and rulers in Judah. 

18 Nor were the rest of his 



1 Dent. iv. 34. *Num. xxvii. 3 Ja. iv. 9, 1 Pet. v. 5. *The grace of God 
has be( n given. 5 Works. 6 He that speaketh many things shall also hear, 
&c. 7 Job xi. 2. 3, lxx. 8 Be not wordy. 9 Are praised of. 10 See what are 
the ways of hi- blessing. u Unroll. 12 Foreknowing what was to be, became a 
sacrifice. 13 These gifts he shall know who will carefully consider them. 
126 



Of justification 



I. CLEMENT. 



by faith and works. 



I tribes in any small glory: God 
Laving promised that a thy seed 
(says he) shall be as the stars of 
heaven. 

19 They were all therefore 
3 greatly glorified, not for their 
own sake, or for their own works, 
or for the righteousness that they 
themselves wrought, but through 
his will. 

20 And we also being called 
by the same will in Christ Jesus, 
are not justified by ourselves, 
neither by our own wisdom, or 
knowledge, or piety, or the works 
which we have done i in the holi- 
ness of our hearts : 

21 But by that faith by which 
God Almighty has justified all 
men from the beginning; to 
whom be glory for ever and ever. 
Amen. 

CHAP. XV. 

We are justified by faith ; yet this must 
not lessen our care to live well, nor our 
pleasure in it. 

WHAT shall we do therefore, 
brethren ? Shall we be 
slothful in well-doing, aud lay 
aside our charity? God forbid 
that any such thing should be 
done by us. 

2 But rather let us hasten with 
all earnestness and readiness of 
mind, to perfect every good work. 
For even the Creator and Lord 
of all things himself rejoices in 
his own works. 

3 By his 5 Almighty power he 
fixed the heavens, and by his 
incomprehensible wisdom he 
adorned them. 

4 He also divided the earth 
from the water, with which it is 
encompassed ; and fixed it as a 
secure tower, upon the founda- 
tion of his own will. 

5 He also by his appointment, 

1 Sceptres. 2 Gen. xxvii. 17. 'Glorified. 4 In holiness of heart. 6 All- 
greatest. 6 Gen. i. 2fi, 27. 7 Gen. i. 28. 8 This. 9 Come to. 10 Work. 

II Isaiah xl. 10, lxii. 11. 

127 



commanded all the living crea- 
tures that are upon it, to exist. 

6 So likewise the sea, and all 
the creatures that are in it ; hav- 
ing first created them, he enclosed 
them therein by his power. 

7 And above all, he with his 
holy and pure hauds, formed 
man, the most excelleut, and, as 
to his understanding, truly the 
greatest of all other creatures, 
the character of his own image. 

8 For so God says, 6 Let us 
make man in our image, after 
our own likeness So God created 
man, male and female created he 
them. 

9 And having thus finished all 
these things, he commended all 
that he had made, and blessed 
them, and said, 1 increase and 
multiply. 

10 We see how all righteous 
men have been adorned with 
good works : Wherefore even 
the Lord himself, having adorn- 
ed himself with his works, re- 
joiced. 

11 Having therefore 8 such an 
example, let us without delay, 
9 fulfil his will; and with all our 
strength, work the work of 
righteousness. 

CHAP. XVI. 

This enforced from the examples of the 
holy angels, and from the exceeding 
greatness of that reward which God 
has prepared for us. 

THE good workman with con- 
fidence receives the bread 
of his 10 labour ; but the sluggish 
and lazy cannot look him in the 
face that set him on work. 

2 We must therefore be ready 
and forward in well doing ; for 
from him are all things. 

3 And thus he foretells us, 
11 behold the Lord cometh, and 



Of attaining the reward I. CLEMENT. of the righteous. 



his reward is with him, even be- 
fore his face, to render to every 
one according to bis work. 

4 He warns us therefore before- 
hand, with all his heart to this 
end, that we should not be sloth- 
ful and negligent in ' well doing. 

5 Let our boasting, therefore, 
and our confidence be in a God : 
let us submit ourselves to his will. 
Let us consider the whole multi- 
tude of his angels, how ready they j 
stand to minister unto his will. 

6 As saith the scrioturc, 3 thou- 
Bands of thousands stood before 
him and ten thousand times ten 
thousand ministered unto him. 
* And they cried, saying, Holy, 
holy, holy is the Ljrd of Sa- j 
baoth : 5 The whole earth is full 
of his glory. 

7 Wherefore let us also, 
being conscientiously gathered 
together in concord with one an- 
other ; as it were with one mouth, 
cry earnestly unto him, that he 
would make us partakers of his 
great and glorious promises. 

8 For he saith, 6 Eye hath not 
seen, nor ear heard, neither have 
enter 3d into the heart of man, 
the things which God has pre- 
pared for them that wait for him. 

CHAP. XVII. 

1 We must attain unto this reward by 
faith and obedience, which we must 
carry on in an orderly persuing of the 
duties of our several stations, without 
envy or contention. 24. The necessity 
of different orders among men. 33 We 
have none of us anything but what we 
received of God : whom therefore we 
ought in every condition thankfully to 
obey. 

HOW blessed and wonderful, 
beloved, are the gifts of God. 
2 Life in immortality ! bright- 
ness in righteousness ! truth in 



full assurance ! faith in confi- 
dence ! temperance in holiness ! 

3 And all this has ~ God sub- 
jected to our understandings: 

4 What therefore shall those 
things be which he has prepared 
for them that wait for him ? 

5 The Creator and Father of 8 
spirits, the Most Holy ; he only 
knows both the 9 greatness and 
beauty of them. 

6 Let us therefore strive with 
all earnestness, that we may be 
found in the' number of those 
that wait for him, that so we 
may receive the 10 reward which 
he has promised. 

7 But how r , beloved, shall we 
do this ? u We must fix our minds 
by faith towards God, and seek 
those things that are pleasing 
and acceptable unto him. 

8 We must 12 act conformably 
to his holy will ; and follow the 
way of truth, casting off from us 
all unrighteousness and iniquity, 
togather with all covetousness, 
strife, evil manners, deceit, whis- 
pering, detractions ; all hatred 
of God, pride and boasting; vain- 
glory and ambition ; 

9 For they that do these things 
are odious to God ; and not only 
they that do them, but also 13 all 
such as approve of those that do 
them. 

10 For thus saith the Scrip- 
ture, M But unto the wicked, God 
said, What hast thou to do to 
declare my statute, or that thou 
shouldst take my covenant in thy 
mouth ? Seeing that thou hatest 
instruction, and castest my words 
behind thee. 

11 When thou sawest a thief, 
then thou consentedst with him ; 
and hast been partaker with adul- 

6 Evpry 
10 Gifts. 



1 Every good work. 2 Him. 8 Dan. vii. 10. 4 Isaiah vi. 3 
creature/ 6 Fsaiah lxiv. 4, 1 Cor. ii. 9. 7 He. 8 A?es. 9 Quantitv 
11 If we shall. 12 Perform those things that are agreeable. 13 Kom. i. 32 
u Psalm 1. 15, &c, ac. to the Hebrew. 
128 







[Page 74. 




CHRIST IN THE PR/ETORIUM AND MOCKED, AND HIS DESCENT INTO HELL. [Page 

FROM INTAGLIOS IN. A BOX OF ROCK CRYSTAL, BY AN EARLY VENETIAN ARTIST. 



Of faith and obedience I. CLEMENT. 



in our calling. 



terers. Thou givest thy mouth 
to evil, and thy tongue frameth 
deceit. Thou sittest and speakest 
against thy brother ; thou sland- 
erest thine own mother's son. 

12 These things hast thou 
done and I kept silence ; thou 
thoughtest that I was altogether 
such a one as thyself: but I will 
reprove thee, and set them in 
order before thine eyes. 

13 Now consider this ye that 
forget God, lest I tear you in 
pieces, and there be none to de- 
liver. 

14 Whoso offereth praise, glo- 
rifieth me : and to him that dis- 
poseth his way aright, will I 
shew the salvation of God. 

15 This is the way, beloved, in 
which we may find *our Saviour, 
even Jesus Christ the high-priest 
of all our offerings, the defender 
and helper of our weakness. 

16 By him we look up to the 2 
highest heavens ; and behold, as 
in a glass, his spotless and most 
excellent visage. 

17 By him are the eyes of our 
hearts opened ; by him our fool- 
ish and darkened understanding 
rejoiceth to behold his wonder- 
ful light. 

18 By him would God have us 
to taste the knowledge of immor- 
tality : 3 who being the bright- 
ness of his glory, is by so much 
greater than the angels, as he 
has by inheritance obtained a 
more excellent name than they. 

19 For so it is written, 4 who 
maketh his angels spirits, and 
his ministers a flame' of fire: 

20 But to his son, thus saith 
the Lord, 5 Thou art my Son, to- 
day have I begotten thee. 



21 6 Ask of me, and I will give 
thee the heathen for thy inherit- 
ance, and the utmost parts of 
the earth for thy possession. 

22 And again he saith unto 
him, 7 Sit thou on my right hand 
until I make thine enemies my 
footstool. 

23 But who are his enemies ? 
even the wicked, and such who 
oppose their own wills to the 
will of God. 

24 Let us therefore 8 march 
on, men and brethren, with all 
earnestness in his holy laws. 

25 Let us consider those who 
fight under our earthly gover- 
nors : How orderly, how readily, 
and with what exact obedience 
they perform those things that 
are commanded them. 

26 All are not 9 generals, nor 
10 colonels, nor n captains, nor 12 
inferior officers : 

27 But every one in his re- 
spective rank does what is com- 
manded him by the king, and 
those who have the authority 
over him. 

28 They who are great, can- 
not subsist without those that 
are little ; nor the little without 
the great. 

29 But there must be a mix- 
ture in all things, and then there 
will be use and profit too. 

30 Let us, 13 for example, take 
our body : the head without the 
feet is nothing, neither the feet 
without the head. 

31 And even the smallest 
members of our body are yet 
both necessary and useful to the 
whole body. 

32 But all conspire together, 
and u are subject to one common 



1 That which has the power to save us. 2 Heights of heaven. 3 Heb. i. 3, 4. 
4 Psalm cix. 4. Heb. i. 7. 5 Heb. i. 5. 6 Comp. Psalm ii. 7, 8. 7 Heb. i. 13, 
Psalm cv. 1. 8 War. 9 Prefects. 10 Commanders of a thousand. n Centu- 
rions. 12 Commanders of 50, and so on. 13 1 Cor. xii. 13, 21. u Use one com- 
mon subjection. 

9 129 



Exho rta from the 



I. CLEMENT. different orders of men 



use, namely, the preservation of 
the whole ' body. 

33 Let therefore our whole 
body be saved in Christ Jesus ; 
and let every one be subject to 
his neighbour, 2 according to the 
order in which he is placed .by 
the 3 gift of God. 

34 Let not the strong man de- 
spise the weak ; and let the weak 
see that he reverence the strong. 

35 Let the rich man distri- 
bute to the necessity of the poor: 
and let the poor bless God, that 
he has given one unto him, by 
whom his want may be supplied. 

36 Let the wise man shew 
forth his wisdom, not in words, 
but in good works. 

37 Let him that is humble, 
not bear witness to himself, but 
let him leave it to another to 
bear witness of him. 

38 Let him that is pure in the 
flesh, not grow proud of it, know- 
ing that it was 4 from another that 
he received the gift of continence. 

39 Let us consider therefore, 
brethren, 5 whereof we are made ; 
who, and what kind of men we 
came into the world, as it were 
out of a sepulchre, and from 
outer darkness. 

40 He that made us, and 
formed us, brought us into his 
own world ; having 6 presented 
us with his benefits, even before 
we were born. 

41 Wherefore, having received 
all these things from him, we 
ought in everything to give 
thanks unto him ; to whom be 
glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

CHAP. XVIII. 

From whence he exhorts them to do 
everything orderly in the Church, as 
the only way to please God. 



FOOLISH and unwise men 
7 who have neither prudence 
nor learning may mock and de- 
ride us; being willing to set up 
themselves in their own conceits; 

2 8 But what can a mortal man 
do? Ur what strength is there in 
him that is made out of the dust? 

3 For it is written, there was 
no shape before mine eyes; only 
I heard a 9 sound and a voice. 

4 10 For what? Shall man be 
pure before the Lord ? Shall he 
be blameless in his works ? 

5 Behold, he trusteth not in 
his servants ; and his angds he 
chargeth with folly. 

6 Yes, the heaven is not clean 
in his sight, how much less they 
that dwell in houses of clay ; of 
which also we ourselves were 
made? 

7 He smote them as a moth : 
and from morning even unto the 
evening they endure not. Be- 
cause they were not able to help 
themselves, they perished ; he 
breathed upon them and they 
died, because they had no wisdom. 

8 "Call now if there be any that 
will answer thee; and to which 
of the angels wilt thou look ? 

9 For wrath killeth the foolish 
! man, and envy slayeth him that 

is in error. 

10 I have seen the foolish 
taking root, but lo, their habita- 
tion was presently consumed. 

11 Their children were far 
from safety, they 12 perished at the 
gates of those who were lesser 
than themselves; and there was 
no man to 13 help them. 

12 For what was prepared 
for them, the righteous u did 
eat : and they shall not be deli- 
vered from evil. 



1 MS. to owa. 2 As also has he placed. 3 His gift. 4 Another that gave 
him. 6 Of what matter. 6 Prepared for us. 7 And impudent, and without 
instruction. 8 For. 9 An air. 10 John iv. 16. &c, xv. 15, iv. 19. u Job t. 
1, &c. 12 Were crushed upon. l3 Deliver. l4 Eat. 
130 



to order in the church I. CLEMENT. 



as pleasing to God. 



13 Seeing then these things 
are manifest unto us, it will be- 
hoove us, to take care that look- 
ing into the depths of the divine 
knowledge, we do all things in 
order, whatsoever our Lord has 
commanded us to do. 

14 And particularly, that we 
perform our offerings and service ' 
to God, at their appointed sea- 
sons : for these he has com- ! 
manded to be done, not 1 rashly 
and disorderly, but at certain 
determinate times and hours. 

15 And therefore he has or- j 
dained by his supreme will and 
authority, both where, and by j 
what persons, they are to be \ 
performed ; that so all things 
being piously done unto all well- 
pleasing, they may be acceptable ; 
unto 2 him. 

16 They therefore who make 
their offerings at the appointed 
seasons, are happy and accepted: 
because that obeying the com- 
mandments of the Lord, they 
are free from sin. 

17 And the same care must 
be had of the persons that min- 
ister unto him. 

18 3 For the chief-priest has 
his proper services; and to the 
priests their proper place is ap- 
pointed ; and to the Levites ap- ' 
pertain their proper ministries : ! 
and the layman is confined within : 
the bounds of what is commanded 
to laymen. 

19 Let every one of you there- 
lore, brethren, bless God in his I 
proper station, with 4 a good con- 1 
science, and with all gravity, 
not exceeding the rule of his : 
service that is appointed to him. 

20 The daily sacrifices are 
not offered everywhere ; nor the 
peace-offerings, nor the sacrifices I 



appointed for sins and transgres- 
sions ; but only at Jerusalem : 
nor in any place there, but only 
at the altar before the temple ; 
that which is offered being first 
diligently examined by the high- 
priest and the other minister we 
before mentioned. 

21 They therefore who do any- 
thing which is not agreeable to 
His will are punished with death. 

22 5 Consider, brethren, that 
by how much the better know- 
ledge God has vouchsafed unto 
us by so much the greater dan- 
ger are we exposed to. 

CHAP. XIX. 

The orders of Ministers in Christ's 
Church established by the Apostles 
according to Christ's command, 7 
after the example of Moses. 16 There- 
fore they who have been duly placed in 
the ministry according to their order 
cannot without great sin be put out of it. 

THE Apostles have preached 
to us from the Lord Jesus 
Christ ; Jesus Christ from God. 

2 Christ therefore was sent by 
God, the Apostles by Christ ; so 
both were orderly 6 sent, accord- 
ing to the will of God. 

3 For having received their 
command, and being thoroughly 
assured by the resurrection of 
our Lord Jesus Christ; 7 and 
convinced by the word of God, 
with the 8 fulness of the Holy 
Spirit, they went abroad, pub- 
lishing, That the kingdom of 
God was at hand. 

4 And thus preaching through 
countries and cities, 9 they ap- 
pointed the first fruits of their 
conversion to be bishops and 
ministers over such as should 
afterwards believe, having first 
proved them by the Spirit. 

5 Nor was this any new thing : 



1 By chance. 2 To his will. 

science. 5 Ye see. 6 Done. 
9 Vid. Coteler. in loc. 



3 See Coteler. in loc. 4 Being in a good con- 
T 1 Thess. i. 5. 8 With the full assurance. 



131 



Of the orders 



I. CLEMENT. 



in the ministry. 



seeing that long before it was 
written concerning bishops and 
deacons. 

6 For thus saith the Scrip 
ture, in a certain place: *I will 
appoint their ■ overseers in right- 
eousness, and their ministers in 
faith. 

7 And what wonder if they, 
to whom such a work was com- 
mitted by God in Christ, estab- 
lished such officers as we before 
mentioned ; when even that 
blessed and faithful servant in 
all his house, Moses, 3 set down 
in the Holy Scriptures all things 
that "were commanded him. 

8 Whom also all the rest of the 
prophets followed, bearing wit- 
ness with one consent to those 
things that were appointed by 
him. 

9 For he, perceiving an 4 emu- 
lation to arise among the tribes 
concerning the priesthood, and 
that there was a strife about it, 
which of them should be 
adorned with that glorious name ; 
commanded their twelve captains 
to bring to him 5 twelve rods; 
every tribe being written upon 
its rod, according to its name. 

10 And he took them and 
bound them together, and sealed 
them with the seals of the twelve 
princes of the tribes ; and laid 
them up in the tabernacle of 
witness, upon the table of God. 

11 And when he had shut 
the door of the tabernacle he 
sealed up the keys of it, in like 
manner 6 as he had done the 
rods ; and said unto them, Men 
and brethren, whichsoever tribe 
shall have its rod blossom, that 



tribe has God chosen to perform 
the office of a priest, and ' to 

minister unto him in holy things. 

12 And when the morning 
was come, he called together all 
Israel, six hundred thousand 
men ; and shewed to the princes 
their seals ; and opened the 
tabernacle of witness; and 
brought forth the rods. 

13 And the rod of Aaron was 
found not only to have blos- 
somed, but also to have fruit 
upon it. 

14 What think you, beloved ? 
Did not Moses before know 
8 what should happen ? 

15 Yes verily : but to the end 
there might be no division, nor 
tumult in Israel, he did in this 
manner, that the name of the 
true and only God might be 
glorified, to him be honour for 

I ever and ever, Amen. 

16 So likewise our Apostles 
I knew by our Lord Jesus Christ, 
I that there should contentions 
I arise, 9 upon account of the min- 
i istry. 

17 And therefore having a 
| perfect fore-knowledge of this, 
| they appointed persons, as w T e 

have before said, and then 10 gave 
direction, how, when they should 
die, other chosen and approved 
men should succeed in their 
ministry. 

18 Wherefore we cannot think 
that those may justly be thrown 
out of their ministry, who were 
either appointed by them, or af- 
terwards chosen by other emi- 
nent men, with the consent of 
the whole church ; and who 
have with all lowliness and in- 



1 Isaiah lx. 17. 2 Bishops, Deacons. 3 Signified. 4 An emulation hap- 
pening. 6 Nurab. xvii- 6 And the Kods. 'To exercise the office of the 
priesthood, and to minister, &c. 8 That this should be so. 9 About the 
name of the bishoprick. l0 Left a list of other chosen and approved per- 
sons, who should succeed them in their ministry. See Dr. Arden's Disc. 
upon thi< passage. Dr. Hammond's Power of the Keys, c iii. p. 413. 
132 



Exhorts to peace 



I. CLEMENT. 



from holy orders. 



nocency ministered to the flock 
of Christ, in peace, and without 
self-interest, and were for a long 
time commended by all. 

19 For it would be no small 
sin in us, should we cast off those 
from their 1 ministry who holily 
and without blame 2 fulfil the 
duties of it. 

20 Blessed are those priests, 
who having finished their course 
before these times have obtained 
a fruitful and perfect dissolu- 
tion : for they have no fear, lest 
any one should turn them out 
of the place which is now ap- 
pointed for them. 

21 But we see how you have 
ut out some, who lived reputa- 
ly among you, from the minis- 
try, which by their innocence 
they had adorned. 

CHAP. XX. 

He exhorts them to peace from examples 
out of the Holy Scriptures, 20 par- 
ticularly from St. Paul's exhortation 
to them. 

YE are contentious, brethren, 
and zealous for things that 
pertain not unto salvation. 

2 Look into the Holy Scrip- 
tures, which are the true words 
of the Holy Ghost. Ye know 
that there is nothing unjust or 
counterfeit written in them. 

3 There you shall not find 
that righteous men were ever 
cast off by such as were good 
themselves. 

4 3 They were persecuted, but 
it was by the wicked and unjust. 

5 They were cast into prison ; 
but they were cast in by those 
that were unholy. 

6 They were stoned; but it 
was by transgressors. 



7 They were killed ; but by 
accursed men, and such as had 
taken up an unjust envy against 
them. 

8 4 And all these things they 
underwent gloriously. 

9 For what shall we say, bre- 
thren ? Was Daniel cast into 
the 5 den of lions, by men fear- 
ing God ? Ananias, Azarius, and 
Misael, were they 6 cast into the 
7 fiery furnace by men, 8 profes- 
sing the excellent and glorious 
worship of the Most High ? 
God forbid. 

10 What kind of persons 
then were they that did these 
things ? They were men abomi- 
nable, full of all wickedness ; 
who were incensed to so great 
a degree, as to bring those into 
sufferings, who with a holy and 
unblameable purpose of mind 
worshipped God : not knowing 
that the Most High is the pro- 
tector and defender of all such 
as with a pure conscience serve 
his 9 holy name : to whom be 
glory for ever and ever, Amen. 

11 But they who with a full 
persuasion have endured these 
things, 10 are made partakers of 
glory and honour : and u are ex* 
alted and lifted up by God in 
their memorial throughout all 
ages, Amen. 

12 If Wherefore it will be- 
hoove us also, brethren, 12 to fol- 
low such examples as these ; for 
it is written, Hold fast to such 
as are holy ; for they that do so 
shall be sanctified. 

13 And again in another 
place he saith, 13 With the pure 
thou shalt be pure, ( u and with 
the elect thou shalt be elect), 



1 Bishoprick. 2 Offer the gifts. 3 Just men. 
underwent them gloriously. 5 Dan. vi. 16. 
8 Worshipping the worship. 



4 Suffering these things they 

6 Shut into. 7 Dan. iii. 20. 

9 Full of virtue. 10 Have inherited. u Have 

1 To cleave to. 13 Psalm xvii. 2. u Omitted by Junius, 



been exalted 

and now restored from the MS 



133 



Further exhorts 



I. CLEMENT. 



to peace and union* 



but with the perverse man thou 
shalt be l perverse. 

14 Let us therefore join our- 
selves to the innocent and right- 
eous ; for such are the elect of 
God. 

15 Wherefore are there strifes, 
and anger, and divisions, and 
schisms, and wars, among us ? 

1G 2 Have we not all one 
God, and one Christ ? 3 Is not 
one spirit of grace poured out 
upon us all ? Have "we not one 
calling in Christ ? 

17 Why then do we rend and 
tear in pieces the members of 
Christ ; and raise seditions 
against our own body ? And 
are come to such a height of 
madness, as to forget that 4 we 
were members one of another ? 

18 Remember the words of 
our Lord Jesus, 6 how he said, 
Wo to that man, (by whom of- 
fences come) 6 It were better for 
him that he had never been born, 
than that he should have of- 
fended one of my elect. It were 
better for him, that a mill- 
stone should be tied about 
his neck, and he should be cast 
into, the sea, than that he 
should offend one of my little 
ones. 

19 Your schism has perverted 
many, has discouraged many: it 
has caused diffidence in many, 
and grief in us all. And yet 
your sedition continues still. 

20 T Take the epistle of the 
blessed Paul the Apostle into 
your hands ; 7 What was it that 
he wrote to you at his first 
preaching the Gospel among 
you? 

21 Verily he did 8 by the spirit 



admonish you concerning him- 
Belfj and Cephas, and Apollos, 
because that even then ye had 
begun to fall into 'parties and 

factions among yourselves. 

22 Nevertheless your partial- 
ity then led you into a much less 
sin : forasmuch as ye 10 placed 
your affections upon Apostles, 
men of u eminent reputation in 
the church ; and upon another, 
who was greatly tried and ap- 
proved of by them. 

23 But consider, we pray you, 
who are they that have now led 
you astray ; and lessened the 
12 reputation of that brotherly 
love that was "so eminent among 
you ? 

2-4 It is a shame, my beloved, 
yea, a very great shame, and un- 
worthy of your Christian u pro- 
fession, to hear that the most 
firm and 15 ancient church of the 
Corinthians should, by one or 
two persons, be led into a sedi- 
tion against its priests. 

25 And this report is come 
not only to us, but to those also 
that differ from us. 

26 Insomuch that the name of 
the Lord is blasphemed through 
your folly ; and even ye your- 
selves are brought into danger 
by it. 

27 If Let us therefore with all 
haste 16 put an end to this sedi- 
tion ; and let us fall down before 
the Lord, and beseech Him with 
tears that He "would be favoura- 
bly reconciled to us, and restore 
us again to a 18 seemly and holy 
course of brotherly love. 

28 For this is the gate of 
righteousness, opening unto life : 
as it is written, 19 Open unto me 



1 Turn aside. 2 Eph. iv. 4. 3 1 Cor. xii. 4 Horn. xii. 6 For he said. 6 Luke, 
xvii. 2. 7 See Dodwell's add. and Pearson, Dr. Grabe, &c 8 Spiritually 
send to you. 9 Inclinations. 10 Inclined. n Witnessed of. l2 Gravity. 
13 So much spoken of. u Institution. 15 See Dodwell. 16 Take away. 
17 Becoming favourable. :8 Grave, venerable. 19 Psalm cxviii. 19, 20. 

134 



The value and effects of I. CLEMENT. 



unity and charity. 



the gates of righteousness ; I will 
go in unto them and will praise 
the Lord. This is the gate of 
the Lord, the righteous shall 
enter into it. 

29 Although therefore many 
gates are opened, yet this gate 
of righteousness is that gate in 
Christ at which blessed are they 
that enter in, and direct their 
way in holiness and righteous- 
ness, doing all things without 
disorder. 

30 Let a man be faithful, let 
him be powerful in the utterance 
of knowledge: let him be wise 
in making an exact judgment of 
words ; let him be pure in all his 
actions. 

31 But still by how much the 
more he seems to be * above 
others by reason of these things, 
by so much the more will it be- 
hoove him to be humble-minded ; 
and to seek what is profitable to 
all men, and not his own advan- 
tage. 

CHAP. XXI. 

1 The value which God puts upon love 
and unity : the effects of a true charity, 
8 which is the gift of God, and must 
be obtained by prayer. 

HE that has the love that is 
in Christ, let him keep the 
commandments of Christ. 

2 For who is able to express 
the 2 obligation of the love of 
God ? What man is sufficient to 
declare, and is fitting, the excel- 
lency of its beauty ? 

3 The height to which charity 
leads is inexpressible. 

4 Charity 3 unites us to God ; 
* charity covers the multitude of 
sins : 5 charity endures all things, 
is long-suffering in all things. 

5 There is nothing base and 
sordid in charity ; charity lifts 
not itself up above others ; ad- 



mits of no divisions ; is not sedi- 
tious ; but does all things in 
peace and concord. 

6 By charity were all the elect 
of God made perfect : Without 
it nothing is pleasing and ac- 
ceptable in the sight of God. 

7 Through charity did the 
Lord 6 join us unto himself; 
whilst for the love that he bore 
towards us, our Lord Jesus Christ 
gave his own blood for us, by the 
will of God ; his flesh for our 
flesh ; his soul, for our souls. 

8 If Ye see, beloved, how great 
and wonderful a thing charity 
is : and how that no expressions 
are sufficient to declare its per- 
fection. 

9 But who is fit to be found 
in it? Even such only as God 
shall vouchsafe to make so. 

10 Let us therefore pray to 
him, and beseech him, that we 
may be worthy of it ; that so we 
may live in charity ; being un- 
blamable, without human pro- 
pensities, without respect of per- 
sons. 

11 All the ages of the world, 
from Adam, even unto this day, 
are passed away ; but they who 
have been made perfect in love, 
have by the grace of God ob- 
tained a place among the right- 
eous ; and shall be made mani- 
fest in the 7 judgment of the 
kingdom of Christ. 

12 For it is written, 8 Enter 
into thy chambers for a little 
space, till my anger and indigna- 
tion shall pass away : And I will 
remember the good day, and will 
raise you up out of your graves. 

13 Happy 9 then shall we be, 
beloved, if we shall have fulfilled 
the commandments of God, in the 
unity of love ; that so, through 
love, our sins may be forgiven us. 



Greater. 2 Bond. 3 Glues. 4 1 Peter iv. 



us up. 



7 Animadversion, or visitation. 



9. 5 1 Cor. xiii. 7, &c. 6 Take 
8 Isaiah xxvi. 20. 9 Are we. 
135 



Echorte to unity from I. CLEMENT. the example of Moses, 



14 For so it is written, 1 Bless- 
ed are they whose iniquities are 
forgiven, and whose sins are 
covered. Blessed is the man to 
whom the Lord iniputeth no sin, 
and in whose mouth there is no 
guile. 

15 Now this blessing is ful- 
filled in those who are chosen by 
God through Jesus Christ our 
Lord, to whom be glory for ever 
and ever. Amen. 

CHAP. XXII. 

1 He exhorts such as have been con- 
cerned in these divisions to repent, 
and return to their unity, confessing 
their sin to God, 7 which he enforces 
from the example of Moses, 10 and 
of many among the heathen, 23 and 
of Judith and Esther among the Jews. 

LET us therefore, as many as 
have transgressed by any of 
the 2 suggestions of the adver- 
sary, beg God's forgiveness. 

2 And as for those who have 
been the 3 heads of the sedition 
and faction among you, 4 let 
them look to the common end of 
our hope. 

3 For as many as are 6 endued 
with fear and charity, would 
rather they themselves should 
fall into trials than their neigh- 
bours : And choose to be them- 
selves condemned, rather than 
that the good and just charity 
delivered to us, should suffer. 

4 For it is seemly for a man 
to confess wherein he has trans- 
gressed. 

5 6 And not to harden his 
heart, as the hearts of those were 
hardened, who raised up sedition 
against Moses the servant of 
God ; whose punishment was 
manifest 7 unto all men ; for they 



went down alive into the grave, 
death swallowed them up. 

6 "Pharaoh and his host, and 
all the rulers of Egypt, their 
chariots also and their horsemen, 
were for no other cause drowned, 
in the bottom of the Red Sea, and 
perished; but beeause they hard- 
ened their foolish hearts, alter so 
many signs done in the land of 
Egypt, by Moses the servant of 
God. 

7 Tf Beloved, God is not indi- 
gent of any thing ; nor does he 
demand any thing of us, but 
that we should confess our sins 
unto him. 

8 For so says the 9 Holy David, 
10 1 will confess unto the Lord, 
and it shall please him better 
than a young bullock that hath 
horns and hoof. Let the poor 
see it and be glad. 

9 And again he saith, u Offer 
unto God the sacrifice of praise, 
and pay thy vows unto the Most 
Highest. And call upon me in 
the day of trouble, and I will 
deliver thee, and thou shalt 
glorify me. 12 The sacrifice of God 
is a broken spirit. 

10 If Ye know, beloved, ye 
know full well the Holy Scrip- 
tures ; and have thoroughly 
searched into the oracles of God : 
call them therefore to your re- 
membrance. 

11 For when Moses went up 
into the mount, and tarried there 
forty days and forty nights in 
fasting and humiliation ; God 
said unto him, 18 Arise, Moses, 
and get thee down quickly from 
hence, for thy people whom thou 
broughtest out of the land of 
Egypt, have committed wicked- 



Psalm xxxii. 2 See Junius in loc. 'Chief leaders. 



ing according to; live in. 6 Rather than. 
10 Psalm lxix. 31. u Psalm 1. 14. 

Deut. ix. 

136 



7 Num. xvi 
12 Psalm li. 17. 



4 They ought. 5 Walk- 
8 Exod.iv. 9 Chosen. 
13 Exod. xxxii. 




Q X 



I I 



I I 

-! < 



< £ 

UJ o 
CO ^ 



the heathens, &c. 



I. CLEMENT. 



Tlie benefit 



ness : they have soon transgress- 
ed the way that I commanded 
them, and have made to them- 
selves graven images. 

12 And the Lord said unto 
him, I have spoken unto thee 
1 several times, saying I have 
seen this people, and behold it is 
a stiffnecked people : let me 
therefore destroy them, and put 
out their name from under hea- 
ven. And I will make unto 
thee a great and a wonderful 
nation, that shall be much 2 
larger than this. 

13 But Moses said, Not so, 
Lord ; Forgive now this people 
their sin ; or if thou wilt not, 
blot me also out of the book of 
the living. O admirable charity ! 
O insuperable perfection ! The 
servant speaks freely to his Lord; 
He beseeches him either to for- 
give the people, or to 3 destroy 
him together with them. 

14 "jf Who is there among you 
that is generous ? Who that is 
compassionate ? Who that has 
any charity ? Let him say, if 
this sedition, this contention, and 
these schisms, be upon my ac- 
count, I am ready to depart ; to 
go away whithersoever you 
please ; and do whatsoever i ye 
shall command me : Only let 
the flock of Christ be in peace, 
with the elders that are set over 
it. 

15 He that shall do this, shall 
get to himself a very great hon- 
our in the Lord ; and 5 there is 
no place but what will be ready 
to receive him : 6 For the earth 
is the Lord's and the fulness 
thereof. 

16 These things they who have 
their conversation towards God 



not to be repented of, both have 
done and will always be ready 
to do. 

17 If 7 Nay and even the Gen- 
tiles themselves have given us 
examples of this kind. 

18 For we read, How many 
kings and princes, in times of 
pestilence, being warned by their 
oracles, have given up themselves 
unto death : that by their own 
blood, they might deliver their 
8 country from destruction. 

19 9 Others have forsaken their 
cities, so that they might put an 
end to the seditions of them. 

20 We know how many among 
ourselves, have given up them- 
selves unto bonds, that thereby 
they might free others from 
them. 

21 Others have sold them- 
selves into bondage that they 
might feed 10 their brethren with 
the price of themselves. 

22 And even many women, 
being strengthened by the grace 
of God, have done many glorious 
and manly things on such 
occasions. 

23 The blessed "Judith, when 
her city was besieged, desired the 
elders, that they would suffer her 
to go into the camp of 12 their 
enemies: and she went out ex- 
posing herself to danger for the 
love she bore to her country and 
her people that were besieged ; 
and the Lord delivered Holofer- 
nes into the hands of a woman. 

24 Nor did 13 Esther, being per- 
fect in faith, expose herself to 
any less hazard, for the delivery 
of the twelve tribes of Israel, in 
danger of being destroyed. For, 
by fasting and humbling herself, 
she entreated the Great Maker 



1 Once and twice. 2 More, greater. 3 Blot out. 4 The multitude. 

6 Every place. 6 Psalm xxiv. 1 But that we may bring the examples of 
heathens. 8 Citizens. 9 Many. 10 Others. u Judith, viii. ix. x. xiii. 
12 The strangers. 13 Esther, vii. viii. 

137 



of mutual advice 



I. CLEMENT. 



and correction. 



of all things, the God of 1 spirits ; 
so that beholding the humility of 
her soul, he delivered the people, 
for whose sake she was in peril. 

CHAP. XXIII. 

The benefit of mutual advice and correc- 
tion. He entreats tkein to follow that 
which is here give it to them. 

WHEREFORE let us also 
pray for such as are fallen 
into ■ sin. That being endued 
with humility and moderation, 
they may submit not unto us, but 
to the will of God. 

2 For by this means 3 they 
shall obtain a fruitful and perfect 
remembrance, w 7 ith mercy, both 
in our prayers to God, and in 
our mention of them before his 
* saints. 

3 Let us receive correction, at 
which no man ought to repine. 

4 Beloved, the reproof and the 
correction which we exercise to- 
wards one another, is good, and 
exceeding profitable : for it unites 
us the more closely to the will of 
God. 

5 For so says the Holy Scrip- 
ture, 5 The Lord corrected me, 
but he did not deliver me over 
unto death. 6 For whom the Lord 
loveth he chasteneth, and scourg- 
eth every son whom he receiveth. 

6 "' The righteous, saith he, 
shall instruct me in mercy and 
reprove me ; but let not oil of 
sinners make fat my head. 

7 And again he saith, 8 Happy 
is the man whom God correcteth ; 
therefore despise not thou the 
chastening of the Almighty. 

8 For he maketh sore and bind- 
eth up ; he woundeth and his 
hands make whole. 

9 He shall deliver thee in six 
troubles ; yea in seven there shall 



no evil touch thee. In famine 
he shall redeem thee from death ; 
and in war from the power of 
the sword. 

10 Thou shalt be hid from 
the scourge of the tongue ; nei- 
ther shalt thou be afraid of de- 
struction when it cometh. 

11 Thou shalt laugh at the 
wicked and sinners ; neither 
shalt thou be afraid of the beasts 
of the earth. The wild beast 
shall be at peace with thee. 

12 Then shalt thou know that 
thy house shall be in peace ; and 
the habitation of thy tabernacle 
shall not err. Thou shalt know 
also that thy seed shall be great 
and thy offspring as the grass of 
the earth. 

13 Thou shalt come to thy 
grave as the ripe corn, that is 
taken in due time ; like as a 
shock of corn cometh in, in its 
season. 

14 Ye see, beloved, how there 
shall be a defence to those that 
are corrected of the Lord. For 
being a good instructor, he is 
willing to admonish us by his 
holy discipline. 

15 Do ye therefore who laid 
the first foundation of this se- 
dition, submit yourselves unto 
your 9 priests ; and be instructed 
unto repentance, bending the 
knees of your hearts. 

16 Learn to be subject, lay- 
ing aside all proud and arrogant 
boasting of your tongues. 

17 For it is better for you to 
be found little, and approved, in 
the 10 sheepfold of Christ, than to 
seem to yourselves better than 
others, and be cast out of his 
11 fold. 

18 For thus speaks the excel- 
lent and all virtuous wisdom, 



1 Ages; who. 2 Viz. that of schism. 3 Th°re shall be to them. 4 i. e. onr 
Fellow Christians. 5 Psalm xcviii. 6 Prov. iii. 11. " Psalm cxli. 5. 

8 Job v. 17. &c. 9 Elders. 10 See Junius in loc. u See Coteler in loc. 
138 



Commendation to 



II. CLEMENT. 



sincere obedience. 



1 Behold I will pour out the word 
of my spirit upon you, I will 
make known my speech unto you. 

19 Because I called and ye 
would not hear, I stretched out 
my words and ye regarded not. 

20 But ye have set at nought 
all my counsel, and would none 
of my reproof. I will also laugh 
at your calamity, and mock when 
your fear cometh. 

21 When your fear cometh as 
desolation, and your destruction 
as a whirlwind, when distress 
and anguish cometh upon you. 

22 Then shall ye call upon 
me, but I will not hear you : the 
wicked shall seek me, but they 
shall not find me. , For that 
they hated knowledge, and did 
not seek the fear of the Lord. 

23 They would not hearken 

unto my counsel : they despised 

all my reproof. Therefore shall 

they eat of the fruit of their own 

ways; and be filled with their 

own wickedness. 

* * * 

CHAP. XXIV. 

1 Recommends them to God. Desires 
speedily to hear that this Epistle has 
had a good effect upon them. 4 Con- 
clusion. 

OW God, the inspector of 
all things, the 2 Father of 



N 



Spirits, and the Lord of all flesh, 
who hath chosen our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and us by him, to be his 
peculiar people ; 

2 Grant to every soul of man 
that calleth upon his glorious 
and holy name, faith, fear, peace, 
long-suffering, patience, temper- 
ance, holiness and sobriety, unto 
all well-pleasing 3 in his sight; 
through our High-Priest and 
Protector Jesus Christ, by whom 
be glory, and majesty, and 
power, and honour, unto him 
now and for ever more. Amen. 

3 If The messengers whom we 
have sent unto you, Claudius, 
Ephebus, and Valerios Bito, with 
Fortunatus, send back to us 
again with all speed in peace, 
and with joy, that they may the 
sooner acquaint us with your 
peace and concord, so much 
prayed for and desired by us ; 
and that we may rejoice in your 
good order. 

4 The Grace of our Lord 
Jesus Christ be with you, and 
with all that are anywhere called 
by God through him : To whom 
be honour and glory, and might 
and majesty, and eternal domi- 
nion, by 4 Christ Jesus, from 
everlasting to everlasting. Amen. 



The SECOND EPISTLE of CLEMENT to the COKINTHI ANS. 

[Archbishop Wake is the translator of this Second Epistle, which he says 
was not of so great reputation among the primitive Fathers as the first. 
He defends it notwithstanding ; and in answer to those who objected to 
Clement's First Epistle, that it did not duly honour the Trinity, the 
Archbishop refers to this as containing proof of the writer's fulness of 
belief on that point.] 



God: as of the judge of the 
living, and the dead ; nor should 
we think any less of our salva- 
tion. 

2 For if we think 5 meanly of 
him, we shall hope only to re- 

1 Prov. i. 23, &c. 2 Master. 3 To his name. 4 Him. 5 Little things, or 
meanly. 

139 



CHAP. 1. 

That we ought to value our salvation; 
and to shew that we do, by a sincere 
obedience. 

BRETHREN, we ought so to 
think of Jesus Christ as of 



The Gentiles 



II. CLEMENT. 



to be saved. 



ceive some small things from 
him. 

o And if we Mo so; we shall 
sin ; not ' considering from 
whence we have been called, 
and by whom, and to what 
place ; and how much Jesus 
Christ vouchsafed to suffer for 
our sakes. 

4 What recompense then shall 
we render unto him ? Or what 
fruit that may be worthy of 
what he has given to us ? 

5 For indeed 'how great are 
those advantages which we owe 
to him in relation to our holi- 
ness? He has illuminated us: 
as a father, he has called us his 
children ; he has saved us who 
were lost and undone. 

6 What praise shall we give 
to him ? Or what reward that 
may be answerable to those 
things which we have received ? 

7 We were defective in our un- 
derstandings ; worshipping stones 
and wood ; gold, and silver, and 
brass, the works of men's hands ; 
and our whole life was nothing 
else but death. 

8 Wherefore being encom- 
passed with darkness, and having 
such a mist before our eyes, we 
have looked up, and through his 
will have laid aside the cloud 
wherewith we were surrounded. 

9 For he had compassion upon 
us, and being moved in his bow- 
els towards us, he saved us ; ! 
having beheld in us much error, 
and destruction ; and seen that 
we had no hope of salvation, but 
only through him. 

10 For he called us who were 
not ; and was pleased from no- j 
thing to give us being. 



CHAP. II. 

1 That (iod had before prophesied by 
Isaiah, that (he Gentiles .should be 
saved. 8 That this ought to engage 
such especially to lire mil; without 
which they teill still miscarry, 

REJOICE, thou barren, that 
1 Rarest not, break forth and 
cry thou that travailcst not; for 
she that is desolate hath many 
, more children than she that hath 
an husband. 4 

2 In that he said, Rejoice 
i thou barren that bearest not, he 

spake of us : for our church was 
barren before that children were 
given unto it. 

3 And again ; when he said, 
Cry thou that travailest not ; 
he implied thus much : That 
after the manner of women in 
travail, we should not cease to 
put up our prayers unto God 
5 abundantly. 

4 And for what follows, because 
she that is desolate hath more 
children than she that hath an 
husband : it was therefore added, 
because our people which seem 
to have been forsaken by God, 
now believing in him, are become 
more than they who seemed to 
have God. 

5 And another Scripture saith, 
6 1 came not to call the righteous 
but sinners (to repentance). 
The meaning of which is this : 
that those who were lost must be 
saved. 

6 For that is, indeed, truly 
great and wonderful, not to con- 
firm those things that are yet 
standing, but those which are 
falling. 

7 Even so did it seem good to 
Christ to save what was lost ; 
and when he came into the 



1 Hear as of little things. 2 Knowing, 
owe unto him. 4 Isaiah liv. 1. 5, Xt?^uc. 
Kom. xii. 8. 2 Cor. viii. 2, ix. 11, 13. 6 Matt. ix. 13 
140 



3 How greatly holy things do we 
See St. James i. 5. Compare 



Exhorts against the II. CLEMENT. things of this world 



world, he saved many, and called : 
us who were already lost. 

8 Seeing then he has shewed 
so great mercy towards us ; and j 
chiefly for that, we who are j 
alive, do now no longer sacrifice j 
to dead Gods, nor pay any wor- 1 
ship to them, but have by him 
been brought to the knowledge | 
of the Father of truth. 

9 x Whereby shall we shew | 
that we do indeed know him, ! 
but by not denying him by ! 
whom we have come to the j 
knowledge of him ? 

10 For even he himself saith, 
2 Whosoever shall confess me 
before men, him will I confess 
before my Father. This there- 
fore is our reward if we shall 
confess him by whom we have 
been saved. 

11 But, wherein must we con- 
fess him ? — Namely, in doing 
those things which he saith, and 
not disobeying his command- 
ments : by worshipping him not 
with our lips only, but with all 
our heart, and with all our mind. 
For he saith in Isaiah : 3 This 
people honoureth me with their 
lips, but their heart is far from 
me. 

12 Let us then not only call 
him Lord ; for that will not 
save us. For he saith : 4 Not 
every one that saith unto me 
Lord, Lord, shall be saved, but 
he that doeth righteousness. 

13 Wherefore, brethren, let 
us confess him by our works ; by 
loving one another ; in not com- 
mitting adultery, not speaking 
evil against each other, not envy- 
ing one another ; but by being 
temperate, merciful, good. 

14 Let us also have a mutual 



sense of one another's sufferings; 
and not be covetous of money : 
but let us, by our good works, 
confess God, and not by those 
that are otherwise. 

15 Also let us not fear men : 
but rather God. 5 Wherefore, 
if we should do such wicked 
things, the Lord hath said : 
Though ye should be joined unto 
me, even in my very bosom, and 
not keep my commandments, I 
would cast you off, and say unto 
you : 6 Depart from me ; I know 
not whence you are, ye workers 
of iniquity. 

CHAP. III. 

1 That whilst we secure the other world, 
we need not fear what can befall us in 
this. 5. That if v:e follow the interests 
of this present world, we cannot es- 
cape the punishment of the other. 10 
Which ought to bring us to repentance 
and holiness, 14 and that presently : 
because in this world is the only time 
for repentance. 

WHEREFORE, brethren, 
leaving willingly for con- 
science sake our sojourning in 
this world, let us do the will of 
him who has called us, and not 
fear to depart out of this world. 

2 For the Lord saith, 7 Ye 
shall be as sheep in the midst of 
wolves. Peter answered and 
said, What if the wolves shall 
tear in pieces the sheep ? Jesus 
said unto Peter, Let not the 
sheep fear the wolves after death : 
8 And ye also fear not those that 
kill you, and after that have no 
more that they can do unto you ; 
but fear him who after you are 
dead, has power to cast both soul 
and body into hell-fire. 

3 For consider, brethren, that 
the sojourning of this flesh in 



1- VVhat is the knowledge which is towards him. 2 Matt, x 32. 
xxix. 13. 4 Matt. vii. 21. 5 Wherefore we doing; these things, 
xii. 23 ; Luke xiii. 27. 7 Matt. v. 16. 8 Luke xii. 4, 5. 

141 



3 Isaiah 
6 Matt. 



awl to repeat <i 



II. CLEMENT. 



Of the resurrection. 



the present world, is but little, 
and of a short continuance, but 
the promise of Christ is great 
and wonderful, even the rest of 
the kingdom that is to come, 
and of eternal life. 

4 What then must we do that 
we may attain unto it? — We 
must x order our conversation 
holily and righteously, and look 
upon all the things of this world 
as none of ours, and not desire 
them. For, if we desire to pos- 
sess them we fall from the way 
of righteousness. 

5 For thus saith the Lord, 
2 No servant can serve two mas- 
ters. If therefore w r e shall de- 
sire to serve God and Mammon 
it will be without profit to us. 
3 For what will it profit, if one 
gain the whole world, and lose 
his own soul ? 

6 Now this world and that to 
comearetwo enemies. Thisspeak- 
eth of adultery and corruption, 
of covetousness and deceit ; but 
renounces these things. 

7 We cannot, therefore, be 
the friends of both ; but we must 
resolve by forsaking the one, to 
enjoy the other. And we think 
it is better to hate the present 
things, as little, short-lived, and 
corruptible, and to love those 
which are to come, which are 
truly good and incorruptible. 

8 For, if we do the will of 
Christ, we shall find rest : but if 
not, nothing shall deliver us 
from eternal punishment if we 
shall disobey his commands. For 
even thus saith the Scripture in 
the prophet Ezekiel, * If Noah, 
Job, and Daniel should rise up, 
they shall not deliver their chil- 
dren in captivity. 

9 Wherefore, if such righteous 
men are not able by their right- 



eousness to deliver their children ; 
how can we hope to enter into 
the kingdom of God, except we 
keep our baptism holy and un- 
dented? Or who shall be our 
advocate, unless we shall be 
found to have done what is holy 
and just ? 

10 Let us, therefore, my bre- 
thren, contend with all earnest- 
ness, knowing that our combat 
is at hand ; and that many go 
long voyages to encounter for a 
corruptible reward. 

11 And yet all are not 
crowned, but they only that 
labour much, and strive glo- 
riously. Let us, therefore, so 
contend, that we may all be 
crowned. Let us run in the 
straight road, the race that is in- 
corruptible : and let us in great 
numbers pass unto it, and strive 
that we may receive the crown. 
But and if we cannot all be 
crowned, let us come as near to 
it as we are able. 

12 Moreover, we must consider, 
that he who contends in a cor- 
ruptible combat, if he be found 
doing anything that is not fair, is 
taken away and scourged, and 
cast out of the lists. What think 
ye then that he shall suffer, who 
does anything that is not fitting 
in the combat of immortality? 

13 Thus speaks the prophet 
concerning those who keep not 
their seal; 5 Their worm shall not 
die, and their fire shall not be 
quenched ; and they shall be for 
a spectacle unto all flesh. 

14 Let us therefore repent, 
whilst we are yet upon the earth : 
for we are as clay in the hand of 
the artificer. For as the potter 
if he make a vessel, and it be 
turned amiss in his hands, or 
broken, again forms it anew ; 



1 MS. Alexander, 
xvi 26. 4 Ezek. xiv. 

142 



ooioq ncu diKdiuc avgpetieadcu. 
14, 20. 6 Isaiah lxvi. 24. 



2 Luke xvi. 13. 3 Matt. 



A fragment 



II. CLEMENT. of the Lord's kingdom. 



| flesh as the temple of God. For 
in like manner as ye were called 

I in the flesh ye shall also come to 

: judgment in the flesh. 4 Our one 
Lord Jesus Christ, who has 

' saved us, being first a spirit, was 
made flesh, and so called us ; 

; even so we also shall in this 
flesh receive the reward. 

3 Let us, therefore, love one 

j another, that we may attain unto 

I the kingdom of God. Whilst we 
have time to be healed, let us 
deliver up ourselves to God our 
physician, giving our reward 
unto him. 

4. And what reward shall we 
give ? — Repentance out of a pure 
heart. For he knows all things 
before hand, and searches out our 
very hearts. 

5 Let us, therefore, give praise 
unto him : not only with our 
mouths, but with all our souls ; 
that he may receive us as child- 
ren. 5 For so the Lord hath 
said; 6 Tiiey are my brethren, 
who do the will of my father. 

6 T Wherefore, my brethren, 
let us do the will of the Father, 
who hath called us, that we may 
live. Let us pursue virtue, and 
forsake wickedness, which lead- 
eth us into sins ; and let us flee 
all ungodliness, that evils over- 
take us not. 

7 For, if we shall do our dili- 
gence to live well, peace shall 
follow us. 7 And yet how hard is 
it to find a man that does this ? 
For almost all are led by human 
fears, choosing rather the pre- 
sent enjoyments, than the future 
promise. 

8 For they know not how 
great a torment the present en- 
joyments bring with them; nor 
what delights the future promise. 

2 There. 3 Luke xvi. 10, 12. 4 MS. Alex, plane sic ex- 
5 Vox. Qeov non est in MS. 6 Matt. xii. 50. 7 For, for this 
man. Aliter Wendel. in traduct. lat q. v. 

143 



but if he have gone so far as to 
throw it into the furnace of fire, 
he can no more bring any reme- 
dy to it. 

15 So we, whilst we are in this 
world, Should repent with our 
whole heart for whatsoever evil 
we have done in the flesh ; while 
we have yet the time of repent- 
ance, that we may be saved by 
the Lord. 

16 For after we shall have 
departed out of this world, we 
shall no longer be able to confess 
our sins or repent 2 in the other. 

17 Wherefore, brethren, let us 
doing the will of the Father, and 
keeping our flesh pure, and ob- 
serving the commandments of 
the Lord, lay hold on eternal 
life: for the Lord saith in the 
gospel, 3 If ye have not kept that 
which was little, who will give 
you that which is great ? — For I 
say unto you, he that is faithful 
in that which is least, is faithful 
also in much. 

18 This, therefore, is what he 
saith; keep your bodies pure, 
and your seal without spot, that 
ye may receive eternal life. 

CHAP. IV. 

1 We shall rise, and be judged in our 
bodies ■; therefore we must live well in 
them, 6 that we ought, for our own in- 
terest, to live well ; though few seem to 
mind what really is for their advantage, 
1 and not deceive ourselves : seeing 
God will certainly judge us, and ren- 
der to all of us according to our works. 

AND let not any one among 
you say, that this very flesh 
is not judged, neither raised up. 
Consider, in what were you saved ; 
in what did you look up, if not 
whilst you were in this flesh. 
2 We must, therefore, keep our 

1 Let us repent 
hibit: etc Xpiroc 
cause, we cannot find 



A Fragment. 



II. CLEMENT. Of the Lord's kingdom. 



9 And if they themselves only 
did this, it might the more easily 
be endured ; but now they go on 
to infect innocent souls with their 

evil doctrines ; not knowing that 
both themselves, and those that 1 
hear them, shall receive a double 
condemnation. 

10 T Let us, therefore, serve 
God with a pure heart, and we 
shall be righteous : but if we 
shall not serve him because we 
do not believe the promise of 
God, we shall be miserable. 

11 For thus saith the prophet; 

1 Miserable are the double minded 
who doubt in their heart, and 
say, these things we have heard, J 
even in the time of our fathers, 
but we have seen none of them, 
though we have expected them J 
from day to day. 

12 O ye fools ! compare your- 
selves to a tree ; take the vine 
for an example. First it sheds ! 
its leaves, then it buds, then | 
come the sour grapes, then the j 
ripe fruit ; even so my people [ 
have borne its disorders and afflic- 
tions, but shall hereafter receive 
good things. 

13 Wherefore my brethren, 
let us not doubt in our minds, 
but let us expect with hope, that 
we may receive our reward ; for \ 
he is faithful, who has promised j 
that he will render to every one 
a reward according to his works. 

14 If, therefore, we shall do 
w r hat is just in the sight of God 
we shall enter into his kingdom, 
and shall receive the promises; 

2 Which neither eye has seen, nor 
ear heard, nor have entered into 
the heart of man. 

15 Tf Wherefore let us every 



hour expect the kingdom of God 
in love and righteousness ; be- 
cause we know not the day of 
God's appearing. 

CHAP. V. 

A Fragment. 

Of the Lord's kingdom. 
1 . * * For the Lord himself, 
being asked by a certain person, 
When his kingdom should come? 
answered, When two shall be 
one, and that which is without 
as that which is within ; and the 
male with the female, neither 
male nor female. 

2 Now two are one. when we 
speak the truth to each other, 
and there is (without hypocrisy) 
one soul in two bodies : 

3 And that which is without as 
that which is within; — He means 
this : he calls the soul that which 
is within, and the body that which 
is without. As therefore thy 
body appears, so let thy soul be 
seen by its good works. 

4 And the male with the female 
neither male nor female; — He 
means this; he calls our anger 
the male, our concupiscence the 
female. 

5 When therefore a man is 
come to such a pass that he is 
subject neither to the one nor 
the other of these (both of which, 
through the prevalence of cus- 
tom, and an evil education, cloud 
and darken the reason,) 

6 But rather, having dispelled 
the mist arising from them, and 
being full of shame, shall by re- 
pentance have united both his 
soul and spirit in the obedience of 
reason ; then, as Paul says, there 
is in us neither male nor female. 



1 See I. Clement, chap. x. 



a lCor. ii. 9. 



144 




< Ui 



The GENERAL EPISTLE OF BARNABAS. 

[Barnabas was a companion and fellow-preacher with Paul. This Epistle 
lays a greater claim to canonical authority than most others. It has 
been cited by Clemens Alexandrinus, Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome, 
and many ancient Fathers. Cotelerius affirms that Origen and Jerome 
esteemed it genuine and canonical; but Cotelerius himself did not 
believe it to be either one or the other; on the contrary, he supposes 
it was written for the benefit of the Ebionites (the christianized Jews,) 
who were tenacious of rites and ceremonies. Bishop Fell feared to own 
expressly what he seemed to be persuaded of, that it ought to be treated 
with the same respect as several of the books of the present canon. Dr. 
Bernard, Savilian professor at Oxford, not only believed it to be genu- 
ine, but that it was read throughout, in the churches at Alexandria, as 
the canonical scriptures were. Dodwell supposed it to have been pub- 
lished before the Epistle of Jude, and* the writings of both the Johns. 
Yossius, Dupuis, Dr. Cane, Dr. Mill, Dr. S. Clark, Winston, and Arch- 
bishop Wake also esteemed it genuine: Menardus, Archbishop Laud,. 
Spanheim, and others, deemed it apocryphal.] 



CHAP. I. 

Preface to the Epistle. 

ALL happiness to you my 
sons and daughters, in the 
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who loved us, in peace. 

2 Having perceived abun- 
dance of knowledge of the great 
and 1 excellent 2 laws of God to 
be in you, I exceedingly rejoice 
in your blessed and admirable 
3 souls, because ye have so wor- 
thily received the grace which 
was * grafted in you. 

3 For which cause I am full 
of joy, hoping the rather to be 
5 saved ; inasmuch as I truly see 
a spirit infused into you, from 
the 6 pure fountain of God : 

4 Having this persuasion, and 
being fully convinced thereof, 
because that since I have begun 
to speak unto you, I have had a 
more than ordinary good success 
in the way of 7 the law of the 
Lord which is in Christ. 



5 For which cause 8 brethren, 
I also think verily that I love 
you above my own soul : because 
that therein dwelleth the great- 
ness of faith and charity, as also 
the hope of that life which is to 
come. 

6 Therefore considering this* 
that if I shall take care to com- 
municate to you a part of what 

I have received, it shall turn to 
my reward, 9 that I have served 
such good souls ; I gave diligence 
to write in a few words unto 
you; that together with your 
faith, 10 knowledge also may be 
perfect. 

7 There are therefore three 

II things ordained by the Lord ; 
the hope of life ; 12 the beginning 
and the completion of it. 

8 For the Lord hath both 
declared unto us, by the pro- 
phets those things that 13 are past?; 
and u opened to us the beginnings 
of those that are to come. 



1 Honestarum. 2 ^Equitatum, AiKaiunaruv, righteous judgments. 3 Spiri- 
tibus, Disposition. 4 Natural, Gr. k^vrov. See chap. xix. k^vrov (hpeav 
6t6axm : which the Lat. Int. renders, Naturale donurn Doctrinse. Comp. 
Jam. i. 21. 5 Liberari : Gr. at videtur auSrjvat. 6 Honesto. from the Gr. 
Ka)rjc. 7 Comp. Psalm 119, 33, viz. either by preaching or fulfilling the same. 
8 Vid Annot. Vos. in loc 9 Talibus spiritibus servient!. Usser. i a Tvucuc_. 
11 Aoyfiara Kvmnv, Constitutions of the Lord. 12 Viz. faith and Charity. See 



before. 13 Namely, which we are to believe, 
hoped for, and end in love. 
10 



14 That is, which are to.be 
145 



Preface 



BARNABAS. 



continued. 



i) Wherefore, it will behoove 

us, ' as he has spoken, to come 
'more holily, and aearer to his 
altar. 

10 I therefore, not as a teach- 
er, but as one 8 of you, will en- 
deavour to lay before you a few 
things by which you may, ou 
'many accounts, become the more 
joyful. 

CHAP. II. 

Thai God has abolished the legal sacri- 
jict* to introduce the spiritual Right- 
eousness of the Gospel. 

SEEING then the days are ex- 
ceeding evil, and the adver- 
sary has got the power of this 
present 5 world we ought to give 
'the more diligence to inquire 
into the 6 righteous judgments of 
the Lord. 

2 7 Now the assistants of our 
faith are fear and patience ; our 
fellow-combatants, long-suffering 
and continence. 

3 Whilst these remain pure 
in what relates unto the Lord, 
wisdom, and understanding, and 
science, and knowledge, rejoice 
together with them. 

4 For God has manifested to 
us by all the prophets, that he 
has no occasion for our sacrifices, 
or burnt-offerings, or oblations: 
saying thus ; 8 To what purpose 
is the multitude of your sacrifices 
unto me, saith the Lord. 

5 I am full of the burnt-offer- 
ings of rams, and the fat of 9 fed 
beasts ; and I delight not in the 
blood of bullocks, or of he goats 

6 10 When ye come to appear 
before me ; who hath required 
this at your hands? Ye shall 
no more tread my courts. 

7 Bring no more vain obla- 



tions, incense is an abomination 
unto me; your new moons and 
sabbaths; the calling of assem- 
blies I cannot away with, it is 
iniquity, even the solemn meet- 
ing; your new moons and your 
appointed feasts my soul hateth. 

8 These things therefore hath 
God abolished, that the new law 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which 
is without the yoke of any such 
necessity, might have the spirit- 
ual offering of men themselves. 

9 For so the Lord saith again 
to those heretofore ; u Did I at 
all command your fathers when 
they came out of the land of 
Egypt concerning burnt-offer- 
ings of sacrifices ? 

10 But this I commanded 
them, saying, 12 Let none of you 
imagine evil in your hearts 
against his neighbour, and love 
no false oath. 

11 Forasmuch then as we are 
not without understanding, we 
ought to apprehend the design 
13 of our merciful Father. For 
he speaks to us, being willing 
that we who have been in the 
same error about the sacrifices, 
should seek and find how to 
approach unto him. 

12 And therefore he thus be- 
speaks us, u The sacrifice of God 
(is a broken spirit,) a broken and 
contrite heart God will not despise. 

13 Wherefore brethren, we 
ought the more diligently to in- 
quire after those things that be- 
long to our salvation, that the 
adversary may not have any en- 
trance into us, and deprive us 
of our spiritual life. 

14 Wherefore he again speak- 
eth to them, concerning these 



1 Given us to know. 2 Honestius et Altius: the more honestly and highly. 
3 Like yourselves. * In many things. 5 Age. 6 Equitus. 
Clem. Alex. 8 Isaiah i. 11. 9 Lambs. 10 Isaiah, i. 12, 13 
22, 23. 12 Zech. viii. 17. 13 Of the mercy of Our Father. 
146 



Prophecies in Daniel BARNABAS. concerning Christ, &c. 



things ; l Ye shall not fast as ye 
do tli is day, to make your voice 
to be heard on high. 

15 Is it such a last that I have 
chosen ? a day for a man to afflict 
his soul ? 2 Is it to bow down his 



CHAP. III. 

The prophecies of Daniel concerning the 
ten kings, and the coming of Christ. 

WHEREFORE it is neces- 
sary that searching dili- 
gently into those n things which 



head like a bulrush, and to spread are near to come to pass, we 



sackcloth and ashes under him ? 
Wilt thou call this a fast, and au 
acceptable day to the Lord ? 

16 But to us he saith on this wise. 
3 Is not this the fast that I have 
chosen, to loose the bands of wick- 
edness, to undo the heavy burdens, 
and to let the oppressed go free; 
and that ye break every yoke ? 

17 4 Is it not to deal thy bread 
to the hungry, and that thou 
bring the poor that are cast out 
to thy house ? When thou seest 
the naked that thou cover him, 
and that thou hide not thyself 
from thine own flesh. 

18 5 Then shall thy light break 
forth as the morning, and thy 
health shall spring forth speed- 
ily ; and thy righteousness shall 
go before thee, the glory of the 
Lord shall be thy reward. 

19 6 Then shalt thou call and 
the Lord shall answer ; thou shalt 
cry and he shall say. Here I am. 
If thou put away from the midst 
of thee the yoke, the putting 
forth of the finger, and speaking 
vanity ; 7 and if thou draw out 
thy soul to the hungry ; and sat- 
isfy the afflicted soul. 

20 In this therefore brethren, 
God has manifested his 8 fore- 
knowledge and love for us ; be- 
cause the people which he has 
- *' V 'framed to his beloved Son were 
? Relieve in 9 sincerity ; and 
Jf re ]fore he has shewn these 

J/ 1 t ng ip to all of us, that we should 
•j- .^un as proselytes to 10 the 



'Isa 

denoe. ^ 
"Temj 



i Iviii. 4. 2 V. 5. 3 V. 6. *V. 7. 5 V. 8. 6 V. 9. »V. 10. 8 Provi- 
Simpliciry. 10 Their. n Histantibns: read Instantibns. 12 Beloved, 
notation. T)an. ix w Dan. vii. l5 V. 7. 16 V. 8. n Heap u p sins. 

147 



law. 



may 



hould write to you what 
serve to keep you whole. 

2 To which end let us flee from 
every evil work and hate the 
errors of the present time, that 
we may be 12 happy in that ^hich 
is to come : 

3 Let us not give ourselves the 
liberty of disputing with the 
wicked and sinners ; lest we 
should chance in time to become 
like unto them. 

4 For the consummation of 18 
sin is come, as it is written, as 
the prophet Daniel says. And 
for this end the Lord hath short- 
ened the times and the days, 
that his beloved might hasten his 
coming to his inheritance. 

5 For so the prophet speaks ; 
u There shall ten kings reign 
in the heart, and there shall rise 
last of all another little one, and 
he shall humble three kings. 

6 And again Daniel speaks in 
like manner concerning the king- 
doms ; 15 and I saw the fourth 
beast dreadful and terrible, and 
strong exceedingly ; and it had 
ten horns. 16 1 considered the 
horns, and behold there came up 
among them another little horn, 
before which w T ere three of the 
first horns plucked up by the 
roots. 

7 We ought therefore to under- 
stand this also : And I beseech 
you as one of your own brethren, 
loving you all beyond my own 
life, that you look well to your- 
selves, and be not like to those who 



Thai Christ was 



T> A UN ABAS. 



to suffer, proved 



as in us lies let us meditate upon 
the fear of God J and strive to 
the utmost of our power to keep 
his commandments ; that we may 
rejoice in his righteous judg- 
ments. 

13 For God will judge the 
world without respect of persons: 
and every one shall receive ac- 
cording to his works. 

14 If a man shall be good, his 
righteousness shall go before him; 
if wicked, the reward of his 
wickedness shall follow him. 

15 Take heed therefore lest 
sitting still, now that we are call- 
ed, we fall asleep in our sins ; 
and the wicked one getting the 
dominion over us, stir us up, 7 
and shut us out of the kingdom 
of the Lord. 

16 Consider this also: although 
you have seen so great signs and 
wonders done among the people 
of the Jews, yet this notwith- 
standing the Lord hath forsaken 
them. 

17 Beware therefore, lest it 
happen to us ; as it is written. 
8 There may be many called, but 
few chosen. 

CHAP. IV. 

That Christ was to suffer: proved from 
the prophecies concerning him. 

FOR this cause did our Lord 
vouchsafe to give up his body 
to destruction, that through the 
forgiveness of our sins we might 



1 add sin to sin, and Bay : That 
th >ir c ivenant is ours also. Nay, 
but it is ours only: for they have 
for ev >r lost that which Moses 

rec 'ivd. 

8 For thus saith the Scrip- 
ture: And Moses continued fast- 
ing forty days and forty nights 
in the Mount; and he received 
the covenant from the Lord, even 

♦the two tables of stone, written 
by the hand of God. 

9 But having turned them- 
selves to idols they lost it ; as the 
Lord also said to Moses; Moses, 
1 go down quickly, for thy people 
which thou hast brought forth 
out of Egypt, have corrupted 
themselves, and turned aside 
from the way which I command- 
ed them. 3 And Moses cast the 
two tables out of his hands : and 
their covenant was broken ; that 
the love of Jesus might be sealed 
in your hearts, unto the hope of 
his faith. 

10 Wherefore let us give heed 
unto the last times. For all the 
*time past of our life, and our 
faith will profit us nothing ; un- 
less we continue to hate what is 
evil, and to withstand the future 
temptations. So the Son of God 
tells us ; Let us resist all iniquity 
and hate it. 

11 Wherefore consider the 
works of the evil way. 5 Do not 
withdraw yourselves from others, 

as if you were already justified; be sanctified ; that is, by the 
but coming altogether into one sprinkling of his blood, 
place, inquire what is agreeable 2 Now for what concerns the 
to and profitable for the beloved things that are written about 
of God. For the Scripture saith ; him, some belong to the pe^rle 
6 Wo unto them that are wise in of the Jews, and some to us- 
their own eyes, and prudent in 3 For thus saith the Scripture : 
their sight. 9 He was wounded for our trans- 

12 Let us become' spiritual, a gressions, he was bruised f ot ° ur 
perfect temple to God. As much iniquities, and by his blood, vreare 

^xod. xxxi. xxxiv. 2 Exod. xxxvii. 7. Dent. ix. 12. 3 V. 19. 
6 Heb. x. 25. « Vid. Gr. Clem. Alex. Isa. v., 21. 'Matt, xxv 

•Matt. xxii. 14. 9 Isa. Hi. 5-7. 
148 



from prophecies 



BARNABAS. 



concerning him. 



healed. He was led as a lamb to 
the slaughter, and as a sheep be- 
fore his shearers is dumb, so he 
opened not his mouth. 

4 "Wherefore we ought the 
more to give thanks unto God, 
for that he hath both declared 
unto us what is passed, *and not 
suffered us to be without under- 
standing of those things that are 
to come. 

5 But to them he saith ; 2 The 
nests are not unjustly spread for 
the birds. 

6 This he spake, because a 
man will justly perish, if having 
the knowledge of the way of 
truth, he shall nevertheless not 
refrain himself from the way of 
darkness. 

7 And for this cause the Lord 
was content to suffer for our 
souls, although he be the Lord 
of the whole earth ; to whom 
God said before the beginning 
of the world, 3 Let us make man 
after our own image and likeness. 

8 Now how he suffered for 
us, seeing it was by men that he 
underwent it, 4 I will shew you. 

9 The prophets having receiv- 
ed from him the gift of prophecy, 
spake before concerning him : 

10 But he, that he might abo- 
lish death, and make known the 
resurrection from the dead, was 
content, as it was necessary, to 
appear in the flesh, that he might 
make good the promise before 
given to our fathers, and pre- 
paring himself a new people, 
might demonstrate to them whilst 
he was upon earth, that after 
the resurrection he would judge 
the world. 

11 And finally teaching the 
people of Israel, and doing many 
wonders and signs among them, 

1 Vid. Ed. Ox., p. 21. 2 Prov. i. 17. 3 Gen. i. 26. 4 Learn. 5 Matt. ix. 
13. 6 Namely, from t^e Jews 1 Zach. xiii. 6, 7. 8 According to the ixx. 
Psalm xxii. 20. Psalm cxix. 120. Psalm xxii. 16, 17. 9 These words 

149 



he preached to them, and shewed 
the exceeding great love which 
he bare towards them. 

12 And when he chose his 
apostles, which were afterwards 
to publish his Gospel, he took 
men who had been very great 
sinners ; that thereby he might 
plainly shew, 5 That he came not 
to call the righteous but sinners 
to repentance. 

13 Then he clearly manifested 
himself to be the Son of God. 
For had he not come in the 
flesh, how should men have been 
able to look upon him, that they 
might be saved ? 

14 Seeing if they beheld only 
the sun, which was the work of 
his hands, and shall hereafter 
cease to be, they are not able to 
endure steadfastly to look against 
the rays of it. 

15 Wherefore the Son of God 
came in the flesh for this cause, 
that he might fill up the measure 
of their iniquity, who have per- 
secuted his prophets unto death. 
And for the same reason also he 
suffered. 

16 For God hath said of the 
6 stripes of his flesh, that they 
were from them. And, 7 1 will 
smite the shepherd, and the sheep 
of the flock shall be scattered. 

17 Thus he would suffer, be- 
cause it behooved him to suffer 
upon the cross. 

18 For thus one saith, prophe- 
sying concerning him ; 8 Spare 
my soul from the sword. And 
again, Pierce my flesh from thy 
fear. 

19 And again, the congrega- 
tion of wicked doers rose up 
against me, 9 (They have pierced 
my hands and my feet). 

20 And again he saith, I gave 



Prophecies concerning BARNABAS. 



Chrisfs sufferings. 



my back to the smiters, ' and 
my foce 1 Bel as an bard rock. 

CHAP. V. 
The subject continued. 

AND when he had fulfilled 
the commandment of God, 
W'nu says he? 2 Who will con- 
tend with me? Let him stand 
against me: or who is he that 
will implead me? Lst him draw 
near to the servant of the Lord. 
Wo bo to you! 3 Because ye 
shall all wax old as a garment, 
the moth shall eat you up. 

2 And again the prophet adds, 
4 He is put for a stone for stum- 
bling. 5 Behold I lay in Zion 
for a foundation, a precious 
stone, a choice corner stone ; an 
honourable stone. And what 
follows ? And he that hopeth 
in him shall live for ever. 

3 What then ? Is our hope 
built upon a stone ? God forbid. 
But because the Lord hath har- 
dened his flesh against sufferings, 
he saith, 7 1 have put me as a 
firm rock. 

4 And again the prophet adds ; 

8 The stoue which the builders 
refused has become the head of 
the corner. And again he saith ; 

9 This is the great and wonderful 
day which the Lord hath made. 
10 1 write these things the more 
plainly to you that ye may un- 
derstand: u For indeed I could 
be content even to die for your 
sakes. 

5 But what saith the prophet 
again ? 12 The counsel of the 



wicked encompassed me about. 
"Theycame about me, as bees 
about the honey-comb: and, 
11 L pon my vesture they cast lots. 
Forasmuch then as our 
Saviour was to appear in the 
flesh and suffer, his passion was 
hereby foretold. 

7 For thus saith the prophet 
against Israel : lj Wo be to their 
soul, because they have taken 
wicked counsel against them- 
selves, saying, let us 16 lay snares 
for the righteous, because he is 
unprofitable to us. 

8 Moses also in like manner 
speaketh to them; lv Behold thu3 
saith the Lord God ; Enter ye 
into the good land of which the 
Lord hath sworn to Abraham, 
and Isaac, and Jacob, that he 
would give it you, and possess 
it; a land flowing with milk 
and honey. 

9 Now what the spiritual 
meaning of this is, learn ; 18 It is 
as if it had been said, Put your 
trust in Jesus, who shall be ma- 
nifested to you in the flesh. For 
man is the earth which suffers : 
forasmuch as out of the 19 sub- 
stance of the earth Adam was 
formed. 

10 What therefore does he 
mean when he says, Into a good 
land flowing with milk and 
honey? Blessed be our Lord, 
who has given us wisdom, and a 
heart to understand his secrets. 
For so says the prophet, 20 Who 
shall understand the hard say- 
ings of the Lord? 21 But he that 



were doubtless cited thus by Barnabas, because that without them, those 
foregoing do not prove the Crucifixion of Christ. But through the repetition 
of the same preposition, this latter part was so early omitted, that it was not 
in the Latin interpreter's copy. 1 Isaiah 1. 6. 3 Isa. 1. 8, 9. 

3 Rep. In. i Isa. viii. 14. 5 Isa. xxviii. 16. 6 Gr. put in strength, 

or strengthened. 7 Isa- 1. 7. 8 Ps. cxviii. 22. 9 V. 24. Clem. 

Alex. Strom, v. 10 This is not in the Old Latin Version. u Vid. Ed. Ox., 
p. 29, a. TcepnpTjixa tt]c aya-rjc^ v/tuv. 12 Ps. xxii. 16. 13 Ps. cxviii. 12. M Ps. 
xxii. 18. " Is. iii. 9. 16 Bind. 17 Exod. xxxiii. 1. 18 Vid. Cot. An. Man?. 



ex Clem Alex. 
150 



Tpocu-ov. 20 Osee, xiv- ult. 2l Prov. i. 6. Ec. i. 10. 



The scape-goat 



BARNABAS. 



typical of Christ. 



is wise, and intelligent, and that 
loves his Lord. 

11 Seeing therefore he has re- 
newed us by the remission of our 
sins, he has 1 put us into another 
frame, that we should have souls 
"like those of children, forming 
us again himself 3 by the spirit. 

12 For thus the Scripture 
saith concerning us, i where it 
introduceth the Father speaking 
to the Son ; 5 Let us make man 
after our likeness and similitude ; 
and let them have dominion over 
the beasts of the earth, and over 
the fowls of the air, and the fish 
of the sea. 

13 And when the Lord saw the 
man which he had formed, that 
behold he was very good ; he said, 
6 Increase and multiply, and re- 
plenish the earth. And this he 
spake to his son. 

14 I will now shew you, how 
he made us 7 a new creature, in 
the latter days. 

15 The Lord saith ; 8 Behold I 
will make the last as the first. 
Wherefore the prophet thus 
spake, 9 Enter into the land flow- 
ing with milk and honey, and 
have dominion over it. 

16 Wherefore ye see how we 
are again formed anew ; as also 
he speaks by another prophet ; 
10 Behold saith the Lord, I will 
take from them, that is, from 
those whom the spirit of the 
Lord foresaw, their hearts of 
stone, and I will put into them 
hearts of flesh. 

17 Because he was about to 
be made manifest in the flesh and 
to dwell in us. 

18 For, my brethren, the 
habitation of our heart is a u 
holy temple unto the Lord. For 



the Lord saith again. 12 In what 
place shall I appear before the 
Lord my God, and be glorified ? 

19 He answers I will confess 
unto thee in the congregation in 
the midst of my brethren ; and 
will sing unto thee in the church 
of the saints. 

20 Wherefore we are they 
whom he has brought into that 
good land. 

21 13 But what signifies the milk 
and honey ? Because as the child 
is nourished first with milk, and 
then with honey ; so we being 
kept alive by the belief of his 
promises, and his word, shall live 
and have dominion over the 
land. 

22 For he foretold above, say- 
ing, increase and multiply, and 
have dominion over the fishes, 
etc. 

23 But who is there that is 
now able to have this dominion 
over the wild beasts, or fishes, or 
fowls of the air ? For you know 
that to rule is to have power, 
that a man should be set over 
what he rules. 

24 But forasmuch as this we 
have not now, he tells us when 
we shall have it ; namely, when 
we shall become perfect, that we 
may be made the inheritors of 
the covenant of the Lord. 

CHAP. VI. 

The scape-goat an evident type of this. 

UNDERSTAND then my be- 
loved children, that the good 
God hath before manifested all 
things unto us, that we might 
know to whom we ought always 
to give thanks and praise. 

2 If therefore the Son of God 
who is the Lord of all, and shall 



1 Gr. made us another form. 2 Vid. Ed. Ox., p. 30, b. 3 Vid. Vet. Lat. 
In. 4 As he saith to the Son. 5 Gen. i. 26, &c. 6 Gen. i. 28. 7 Gr. a second 
formation. 8 Isa. xliii. 18, 19, &c. 9 Heb.iii. ao Ezek.xi. 19. u So St. Paul, 
1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. 12 Ps. xlii. 2. 13 Jer. xxxii. 22. 

151 



The scapegoat 



BARNABAS. 



typical of Chrid. 



com • to judge both the quick and 
dead, hath Buffered, that by his 
Btripes \w might live : let us be- 
lieve that the Bon of God could 
not have suffered but for us. But 
being crucified, they gave him 
vinegar and gall to drink. 

3 Hear therefore how the 
priests of the temple did foreshew 
this also: l the Lord by his com- 
mand which was written, declar- 
ed that whosoever did not fast 
th ! appointed fast he 1 should die 
the death: because he also was 
himself one day to offer up his 3 
body for our sins ; that so the 
typ3 of what was done iu i Isaac 
might be fulfilled, who was of- 
fered upon the altar. 

4 What therefore is it that he 
says by the prophet ? 5 And let 
them eat of the goat which is 
offered iu the day of the fast for 
all their sins. Hearken diligently 
(my brethren,) and all the priests, 
and they only shall eat the in- 
wards not washed with vinegar. 

5 Why so? b3cause 6 I know 
that when I shall hereafter offer 
my flesh for the sias of a new 
people, ye will give me vinegar 
to drink mited with gall; there- 
fore do ye only eat, the people 
fasting the while, and lamenting 
in sack doth and ashes. 

6 And that he might foreshew 
that he was to suffer for them, 
hear then how he appointed it. 

7 7 Take, says he, two goats, 
fair and alike, and off3r them, 
and let the high priest take one 
of them for a burnt offering. 
And what must be done with the 
other ? Let it says he be accurs- 
ed. 

8 Consider how exactly this 



appears to have been a type of 
Jesus. B And let all the congre- 
gation spit upon it, and prick it; 
and put the scarlet wool about its 
head, and thus let it be carried 
forth into the wilderness. 

9 And this being done, he that 
was appointed to convey the goat, 
led it into the wilderness, <J and 
took away the scarlet wool, and 
put it upon a thorn bush, whose 
10 young sprouts when we find 
them in the field we are wont t > 
eat : so the fruit of that thorn 
only is sweet. 

10 And to what end was this 
ceremony ? Consider ; one was 
offered upon the altar, the other 
was accursed. 

11 And why was that which 
was accursed crowned ? Because 
they shall see Christ in that day 
having a scarlet garment about 
his body ; and shall say : Is not 
this he whom we crucified; hav- 
ing, despised him, pierced him, 
mocked him? Certainly, this is 
he, who then said, that he was 
the Son of God. 

12 u As therefore he shall be 
then like to what he was on earth, 
so were the Jews heretofore com- 
manded, to take two goats fair 
and equal. That when they shall 
see (our Saviour) hereafter com- 
ing (in the clouds of heaven), 
they may be amazed at the like- 
ness of the goats. 

13 Wherefore 12 ye here again 
see a type of Jesus who was to 
suffer for us. 

14 But what then signifies this. 
That the wool was to be put into 
the midst of the thorns ? 

1 5 This also is a figure of Jesus, 
sent out to the church. For as 



1 Tn same manner applied Heb. ix. 2 Lev. xxiii. 20. 3 The vessel of his 
Rpirit. 4 Gen. xxii. 6 Numb. xxix.. &e., Vic. Cot. in Marg. et Annot. in loc. 
6 Vid Annot. Cot. 7 Levit xi. Vid. Maimon, tract, de die Exv. Edit, du 

Veil, p. 350, &c. 8 Vid. Edit. Ox. p. 40 a. 41. 1). 9 Vid. Maim. ib. p. 341. 
&c 10 Vid. Voss. in loc. " The Greek is imperfect. 12 Vid. Lat. Ver. 
152 



\ 



Christ typified 



BARNABAS. 



by the red heifer. 



he who would take away the 
scarlet wool must undergo many 
difficulties, because that thorn 
was very sharp, and with difficul- 
ty get it : l 80 they, says Christ, 
that will see me, and come to my 
kingdom, must through many 
afflictions and troubles attain 
unto me. 

CHAP. VII. 

The red heifer, another type of Christ. 

BUT what 2 type do ye suppose 
it to have been, where it is 
commanded 3 to the people of Is- 
rael, that grown persons in whom 
sins are come to perfection, 
should offer an heifer, and after 
they had killed it should burn 
the same. 

2 But then young men should 
take up the ashes and put them 
in vessels ; and tie a piece of 
scarlet wool and hyssop upon a 
stick, and so the young men 
should sprinkle every one of the 
people, and they should be clear 
from their sins. 

3 Consider how all these are 
delivered in a 4 figure to us. 

4 This heifer is Jesus Christ; 
the wicked men that were to offer 
it are those sinners who brought 
him to death : who afterwards 
have no more to do with it ; the 
sinners have no more the honour 
of handling of it : 

5 But the young men that 
performed the sprinkling, signi- 
fied those who preach to us the 
forgiveness of sins and the puri- 
fication of the heart, to whom the 
Lord gave authority to preach 
his Gospel : being at the begin- 
ning twelve, 5 to signify the 
tribes, because there were twelve 
tribes of Israel. 



6 But wdiy were there three 
young men appointed to sprin- 
kle ? To denote Abraham, and 
Isaac, and Jacob, because they 
were great before God. 

7 And why was the wool put 
upon a 6 stick? Because the king- 
dom of Jesus was founded upon 
the cross ; and therefore they 
that put their trust in him, shall 
live for ever. 

8 But why was the wool and 
hyssop put together ? To signify 
that in the kingdom of Christ 
there shall be evil and filthy 
days, in which however we shall 
be saved ; and 1 because he that 
has any disease in the flesh by 
some filthy humours is cured by 
hyssop. 

9 Wherefore these things be- 
ing thus done, are to us indeed 
evident, but to the 8 Jews they 
are obscure ; because they heark- 
ened not unto the voice of the 
Lord. 

CHAP. VIII. 

Of the circumcision of the ears; and 
how in the first institution of circum- 
cision Abraham mystically foretold 
Christ by name. 

AND therefore the Scripture 
again speaks concerning our 
ears, that God has circumcised 
them, together with our hearts. 
For thus saith the Lord by the 
holy prophets : 9 By the hearing 
of the ear they obeyed me. 

2 And again, 10 They who are 
afar off, shall hear and under- 
stand what things I have done. 
And again, u Circumcise your 
hearts, saith the Lord. 

3 And again he saith, 12 Hear 
O Israel! For thus saith the 
Lord thy God. And again the 



1 Acts xiv. 22. 2 Numb. xix. 3 That this was also a tvpe of Christ, see 
Heb. ix. 13. 4 Vid. Vet. Lat. Interpr. Simplicity, Gr. 5 Gr. to testify. 6 Wood. 
T Vid. Coteler.in loc. 8 Them. 9 Septuag. Psalm xvii. 45. 10 Isaiah xxxiii. 



13. n Jer. iv. 4. & Jer. vii. 2. 



153 



Spiritual meaning 



BARNABAS. of clean and unclean 



Spirit of God prophesieth, say- 1 of the covenant of Israel? And 
in-: l Who is there that would even the Egyptians themselves 



arc circumcised. 

10 Understand therefore, chil- 
dren, these things more fully, 
that Abraham, who was the first 
that brought in circumcision, 
looking forward in the Spirit to 
Jesus, circumcised, having re- 
ceived the mystery of three letters. 

1 1 For the Scripture says that 
Abraham circumcised three hun- 
dred and eighteen men of his 
house. la But what therefore was 
the mystery that was made 
known unto him? 

12 Mark, first the eighteen, 
and next the three hundred. For 
the numeral letters of ten and 
eight are I H. And these denote 
Jesus. 

13 And because the cross was 
that by which we were to find 
grace ; therefore he adds, three 
hundred ; the note of which is 
T (the figure of his cross). 
Wherefore by two letters he sig- 
nified Jesus, and by the third his 
cross. 

14 He who has put the en- 
grafted gift of his doctrine within 
us, knows that I never taught to 
any one a more 13 certain truth ; 
but I trust that ye are worthy 
of it. 

CHAP. IX. 

That the commands of Moses conceiv- 
ing clean and unclean beasts, etc., 
were all designed for a spiritual 
signification. 

BUT why did Moses say 14 Ye 
shall not eat of the swine, 
neither the eagle nor the hawk ; 
nor the crow ; nor any fish that 

1 Psalms xxxiii. xxxiv. 2 Isaiah, 1. 10. 3 Isaiah, i. 2. 4 Isaiah 

1. 10. 5 Isaiah, xl. 3. 6 Angel. 7 Jer. iv. 3, 4. 8 Jer. iv. 4. 9 Deut. x. 16. 
10 That people. " Vid. Cot. in loc. conter. Orig. ad Rom cap. ii. 25. u That 
many others of the ancient Fathers have concurred wnh him in this, see 
Cot. in loc Add. Eund. p. 34, 85, ibid. Ed., &c, &c ' 3 Genuine. "That 
in this he goes on the received opinion of the RR. Vid. Annot. Cot. and Ed. 
Ox. in loc. Lev. xi. Deut. xiv. Add. Ainsworth on Lev. xi. 1, and Deut. 
xiv. 4. 

154 



live for ever, ■ Let him hear tfa 
voice of my Son. 

4 And again, ' Hear, () Hea- 
ven and give ear Earth! Be- 
cause the Lord has spoken these 
things for a witness. 

5 And again he saith * Hear 
the word of the Lord, ye princes 
of the people. And again 5 Hear 
() Children ! The voice of one 
crying in the wilderness. 

6 Wherefore he has circum- 
cised our ears that we should 
hear his word, and believe. But 
as for that circumcision, in which 
the Jews trust, it is abolished. 
For the circumcision of which 
God spake, was not of the flesh ; 

7 But they have transgressed 
his commands, because the evil 
8 one hath deceived them. For 
thus God bespeaks them ; 7 Thus 
saith the Lord your God (Here 

I find the new law) Sow not 
among thorns; but circumcise 
yourselves to the Lord your God. 
And what doth he mean by this 
saying? Hearken unto your 
Lord. 

8 And again he saith, 8 Cir- 
cumcise the hardness of your 
heart, and harden not your neck. 
And again, 9 Behold, saith the 
Lord, all the nations are uncir- 
cumcised, (they have not lost 
their fore-skin) : but this people 
is uncircumcised in heart. 

9 But you will say 10 the Jews 
were circumcised for a sign. 

II And so are all the Syrians and 
Arabians, and all the idolatrous 
priests : but are they therefore 



beasts wider the 



BARNABAS. 



law of Moses. 



has not a scale upon him? — 
answer, that in the spiritual 
sense, he comprehended three 
doctrines, that were to be 1 gath- 
ered from thence. 

2 Besides which he says to 
them in the book of Deuteron- 
omy, And I will give my statutes 
unto this people. Wherefore it 
is not the command of God that 
they should not eat these things ; 
but Moses in the spirit spake 
unto them. 

3 Now the sow he forbade them 
to eat ; meaning thus much ; thou 
shalt not join thyself to such 
persons as are like unto swine ; 
who whilst they live in pleasure, 
forget their God ; but when any 
want pinches them, then they 
know the Lord ; as the sow when 
she is full knows not her master ; 
but w r hen she is hungry she 
makes a noise ; and being again 
fed, is silent. 

4 Neither, says he, shalt thou 
eat the eagle, nor the hawk, nor 
the kite, nor the crow ; that is 
thou shalt not keep company 
with such kind of men as know 
not how by their labour and 
sweat to get themselves food : 
but injuriously ravish away the 
things of others ; and watch how 
to lay snares for them ; when at 
the same time they appear to 
live in perfect innocence. 

5 ( 2 So these birds alone seek 
not food for themselves, but) sit- 
ting idle seek how they may eat 
of the flesh others have pro- 
vided ; being destructive through 
their wickedness. 

6 Neither, says he, shalt thou 
eat the lamprey, nor the poly- 
pus, nor the cuttle-fish; that is, 
thou shalt not be like such men, 
by using to converse with them ; 
who are altogether wicked and 



adjudged to death. For so 
those fishes are alone accursed, 
and wallow in the mire, nor 
swim as other fishes, but tumble 
in the dirt at the bottom of the 
deep. 

7 But he adds, neither shalt 
thou eat of the hare. To what 
end? — To signify this to us; 
Thou shalt not be an adulterer; 
nor liken thyself to such persons. 
For the hare every year multi- 
plies the places of its conception ; 
and so many years as it lives, so 
many it has. 

8 Neither shalt thou eat of the 
hyena ; that is, again, be not an 
adulterer, nor a corruptor of 
others ; neither be like to such. 
And wherefore so ? — Because that 
creature every year changes its 
kind, and is sometimes male and 
sometimes female. 

9 For which cause also he 
justly hated the weasel ; to the 
end that they should not be like 
such persons who with their 
mouths commit wickedness by 
reason of their uncleanness ; nor 
join themselves with those im- 
pure women, who with their 
mouths commit wickedness. Be- 
cause that animal conceives with 
its mouth. 

10 Moses, therefore, speaking 
as concerning meats, delivered 
indeed three great precepts to 
them in the spiritual significa- 
tion of those commands. But 
they according to the desires 
of the flesh, understood him 
as if he had only meant it of 
meats. 

11 And therefore David took 
aright the knowledge of his three- 
fold command, saying in like 
manner. 

12 Blessed is the man that 
hath not walked in the counsel of 



In the understanding. Deut. iv. 



2 Vid. antiq. Lat. Vers. 
155 



Baptism and 



BARNABAS. 



the cross of thrld. 



the ungodly ; as the fishes before 1 
mentioned in the bottom of the 
deep in darkness. 

13 Nor stood in the way of 
sinners, us they who seem to fear 
the Lord, but yet sin, as the 
sow. 

14 And hath not sat in the 
seat of the scorners; as those 
birds who sit and watch that 
they may devour. 

15 Here you have the law 
concerning meat perfectly set 
forth, and according to the true 
knowledge of it. 

lb' But, says Moses, ye shall 
eat all that divideth the hoof, and 
cheweth the cud. Signifying 
thereby such an one as having 
taken his food, know'S him that 
nourisheth him ; and resting upon 
him, rejoiceth in him. 

17 And in this he spake well, 
having respect to the command- 
ment. What, therefore, is it 
that he says ? — That we should 
hold fast to them that fear the 
Lord ; with those who meditate on 
the command of the word which 
they have received in their heart ; 
with those that declare the right- 
eous judgments of the Lord, and 
keep his commandments; 

18 In short, with those who 
know that to meditate is a work 
of pleasure, and therefore exer- 
cise themselves in the word of 
the Lord. 

19 But why might they eat 
those that clave the hoof? — Be- 
cause the righteous liveth in 
this present world; but his ex- 
pectation is fixed upon the other. 
See, brethren, how admirably 
Moses commanded these things. 

20 But how should we thus 
know all this, and understand it? 
We, therefore, understanding 



aright the commandments, speak 
as the Lord would have us. 
Wherefore he has circumcised our 
ears and our hearts, that we might 
know these things. 

CHAP. X. 

Baptism and the Cross of Christ fore- 
told in fiyures under the law. 

LET us now inquire whether 
the Lord took care to 
manifest anything beforehand 
concerning water and the cross. 
2. Now for the former of these, 
it is written to the people of Is- 
rael how they shall not receive 
that baptism which brings to for- 
giveness of sins ; but shall insti- 
tute another to themselves that 
cannot. 

3 For thus saith the prophet : 
1 Be astonished, O Heaven ! and 
let the earth tremble at it, be- 
cause this people have done two 
great and wicked things ; they 
have left me, the fountain of 
living water, and have digged 
for themselves broken cisterns, 
that can hold no water. 

4 Is my holy mountain a 
<i! Zion, a desolate wilderness? — 
3 For ye shall be as a young bird 
when its nest is taken away. 

5 And again the prophet saith, 
4 1 will go before thee, and will 
make plain the mountains, and 
will break the gates of brass, and 
will snap in sunder the bars of 
iron ; and will give thee dark, and 
hidden, and invisible treasures, 
that they may know that I am 
the Lord God. 

6 And again : He shall dwell 
5 in the high den of the strong 
rock. And then, what follows 
in the same prophet ? His water 

i is faithful ; ye shall see the king 



' l Jeremiah, ii. 12. 2 Vid. Annot. Coteler. and Ed. Oxon. in loc. s Isaiah 3 
xvi. 1, 2. * Isaiah xlv. 2. * Isaiah, xxxiii. 16, 17. 
156 



foretold under 



BARNABAS. 



the luw. 



with glory, and your soul shall 
learn the fear of the Lord. 

7 And again he saith in ano- 
ther prophet : He that does these 
things; l shall be like a tree, 
planted by the currents of water, 
which shall give its fruit in its 
season. Its leaf also shall not 
wither, and whatsoever he doth 
it shall prosper. 

8 x^s for the wicked it is not 
so with them ; but they are as 
the dust which the wind scatter- 
eth away from the face of the 
earth. 

9 Therefore the ungodly shall 
not stand in the judgment, 
neither the sinners in the council 
of the righteous. For the Lord 
knoweth the way of the right- 
eous and the way of the ungod- 
ly shall perish. 

10 Consider how he has joined 
both the cross and the water to- 
gether. 

11 For thus he saith : Blessed 
are they who put their trust in 
the cross, descend into the water ; 
for they shall have their reward 
in due time ; then, saith he, will 
I give it them. 

12 But as concerning the pre- 
sent time, he saith, their leaves 
shall not fall ; meaning thereby 
that every word that shall go out 
of your mouth, shall through 
faith and charity be to the con- 
version and hope of many. 

13 In like manner doth an- 
other prophet speak. 2 And the 
land of Jacob was the praise of 
all the earth ; ? magnifying there- 
by 4 the vessel of his spirit. 

14 And what follows? — And 
there was a river running on the 
right hand, and beautiful trees 



grew up by it ; and he that shall 
eat of them shall live for ever. 
The signification of which is 
this : that we go down into the wa- 
ter full of sins and pollutions ; but 
come up again, bringing forth 
fruit ; having in our hearts the 
fear and hope which is in Jesus, 
by the spirit. And whosoever 
shall eat of them shall live for 
ever. 

15 That is, whosoever shall 
hearken to those who call them, 
and shall believe, shall live for 
ever. 

CHAP. XL 

The subject continued. 

IIS" like manner he determines 
concerning the cross in 5 ano- 
ther prophet, saying : And when 
shall these things be fulfilled ? 

2 The Lord answers ; When 
the tree that has fallen shall 
rise, and when blood shall drop 
down from the tree. Here you 
have again mention made, both 
of the cross, and of him that was 
to be crucified upon it. 

3 6 And yet farther he saith 
by Moses; (when Israel was 
fighting with, and beaten by, a 
strange people ; to the end that 
God might put 7 them in mind 
how that for their sins they 
were delivered unto death) yea, 
the holy spirit put it into the 
heart of Moses, to represent both 
the sign of the cross, and of him 
that was to suffer ; that so they 
might know that if they did not 
believe in him, they should be 
overcome for ever. 

4 Moses therefore 8 piled up 
armour upon armour in the mid- 
dle of a rising ground, and 



1 Psalm, i. 2 Zeph. iii. 19. 3 For rovro heyei and o, the Old Interpreter did 
not read ; and Clemens Alex. lib. iii. Strom, p. 463, transcribing this passage 
hath them not. 4 i. e., the body of Christ. 5 Vid. Conject. Edit. Oxon. 
Comp. iv. Esdr. v. 4, et Obs. Cotel. in loc. 6 See St. Hier. in like manner. 
Annot. I). Bernard, p. 124, Edit. Oxon. Exod. xvii. That were so beaten. 
8 Again !*et them in array, being armed. Lat Vers. 157 



GucT* promises 



BA11NABAS. 



made to. 



standing up high above all of 
them, stretched forth his arms, 
and so Israel again conquered. 

5 But uo sooner did he let 
down his hands, but they were 
again slain. And why so? — To 
the end they might know, that 
except they trust in him they 
cannot be saved. 

b And in another prophet, he 
saith, l I have stretched out my 
hands all the day long to a peo- 
ple disobedient, and speaking 
against my righteous way. 

7 And again Moses makes a I 
2 type of Jesus, to show that he 
was to die, and then that he, 
whom they thought to be dead, 
was to give life to others ; in 
the 3 type of i those that fell in 
Israel. 

8 For God caused all sorts of 
serpents to bite them, and they 
died ; forasmuch as by a serpent 
transgression began in Eve : that 
so he might convince them that 
for their transgressions they shall 
be delivered into the pain of 
death. 

9 Moses then himself, w 7 ho 
had commanded them, saying, 
6 Ye shall not make to yourselves 
any graven or molten image, to 
be your God ; yet now did so 
himself, that he might represent 
to them the figure of the Lord 
Jesus. 

10 For he made a brazen ser- 
pent, and set it up on high, and 
called the people together by a 
proclamation ; where being come, 
they entreated Moses that he 
would make an atonement for 
them, and pray that they might 
be healed. 



11 Then Moses spake unto 
them, saying : when any one 
among you shall be bitten, let 
him come unto the serpent that 
is set upon the pole ; and let 
him assuredly trust in him, that 
though he be dead, yet he is able 
to give life, and presently he 
shall be saved ; and so they did. 
See therefore how here also you 
have in this the glory of Jc.-us ; 
and that 6 in him and to him are 
all things. 

12 Again; What says Moses 
to Jesus the son of Kun, when 
he gave that name unto him, as 
being a prophet that all the peo- 
ple might hear him alone, ' be- 
cause the father did manifest all 
things concerning his son Jesus, 
in 8 Jesus the Son of Kun ; and 
gave him that name when he 
sent him to spy out the land of 
Canaan ; 9 he said : Take a book 
in thine hands, and write what 
the Lord saith: Forasmuch as 
Jesus the Son of God shall in 
the last days cut off* by the roots 
all the house of Amalek. See 
here again Jesus, not the son of 
man, but the Son of God, made 
manifest in a type and in the 
flesh. 

13 But because it might here- 
after be said, that Christ was the 
Son of David ; lu therefore David 
fearing and well knowing the 
errors of the wicked, saith ; "the 
Lord saith unto my Lord, sit 
thou on my right hand until I 
make thine enemies thy footstool. 

14 And again Isaiah speaketh 
on this wise. The Lord said unto 
12 Christ my Lord, I have laid 
hold on his right hand, that the 



1 Isaiah, lxv. 2. 2 So Irena?ug, Just. Mart. St. Chrysost., &c. Edit. Oxon. p. 
77. a. 8 Sign. 4 Israel falling » Dent. xvii. 15. 6 Rom. xi. 36. 7 Deut. 
xviii. 15, 18. 8 So the other Fathers. Just. Mart. &c. Vid. Edit. Oxon. page 
79. 9 Vid. Interp. Vet Lat. Exod. xvii. 14. 10 Comp. Vet. Lat. Interp. 
11 Psalm cix. 3. 12 Vid. Annot.Coteler, in loc. Edit. Oxon. page 78, c Isaiah 
xlv. 1. 

158 



God's promises 



BARNABAS. 



made to. 



nations should obey before him, 
and I will break the strength of 
kings. 

15 Behold, how doth x David 
and Isaiah call him Lord, and 
the Son of God. 

CHAP. XII. 

The promise of God not made to the 
Jews only, but to the Gentiles also, 
and fulfilled to us by Jesus Christ. 

BUT let us go yet farther, and 
inquire whether this people 
be the heir, or the former ; and 
whether the covenant be with us 
or with them. 

2 And first, as concerning the 
people, hear now what the Scrip- 
ture saith. 

3 2 Isaac prayed for his wife 
Rebekah, because she was bar- 
ren ; and she conceived. After- 
wards Rebekah went forth to 
inquire of the Lord. 

4 And the Lord said unto her ; 
There are two nations in thy 
womb, and two people shall come 
from thy body ; and the one 
shall have power over the other, 
and the greater shall serve the 
lesser. Understand here who 
was Isaac; who Rebekah; and 
of whom it was foretold, this 
people shall be greater than that. 

5 And in another prophecy 
Jacob speaketh more clearly to 
his son Joseph saying ; 3 Behold 
the Lord hath not deprived me 
of seeing thy face, bring me thy 
sons that I may bless them. 
And he brought unto his father 
4 Manasseh and Ephraim, desi- 
ring that he should bless Ma- 
nasseh, because he was the elder. 

6 Therefore Joseph brought 
him to the right hand of his 
father Jacob. But Jacob by the 



spirit foresaw the figure of the 
people that was to come. 

7 And what saith the Scrip- 
ture? And Jacob crossed his 
hands, and put his right hand 
upon Ephraim, his second, and 
the younger son, and blessed him. 
And Joseph said unto Jacob ; Put 
thy right hand upon the head of 
Manasseh, for he is my first-born 
son. And Jacob said unto Jo- 
seph; I know it, my son, I know 
it; but the greater shall serve 
the lesser ; though he also shall 
be blessed. 

8 Ye see of whom he ap- 
pointed it, that they should be 
the first people, and heirs of the 
covenant. 

9 If therefore God shall have 
yet farther taken notice of this 
by Abraham too ; our under- 
standing of it will then be per- 
fectly established. 

10 What then saith the Scrip- 
ture to Abraham, when he 5 be- 
lieved, and it was imputed unto 
him for righteousness? Behold 
I have made thee a father of the 
nations, which without circumci- 
sion believe in the Lord. 

11 Let us therefore now in- 
quire whether God has fulfilled 
the covenant, which he sware to 
our fathers, that he would give 
this people ? Yes, verily, he gave 
it : but they were not worthy to 
receive it by reason of their sins. 

1 2 For thus saith the prophet : 
6 And Moses continued fasting 
in mount Sinai, to receive the 
covenant of the Lord with the 
people, forty days and forty 
nights. 

13 7 And he received of the 
Lord two tables written with the 
finger of the Lord's hand in the 



^omp. Vet. Lat. Interp. 2 Gen. xxv. 21. Comp. St. Paul Rom. ix. Just. 
Mart. Tert. &c. Vid. Ed. Oxon. p. 11, a. 3 Gen. xlviii. 4 Vid.Lat. 

Interp. Vet. 5 Gen. xv. 17. So St. Paul himself applies this: Rom. iv. 3. 
6 Exod. xxiv. 18. 7 Deut. ix. 10. Exod. xxxi. 12. 

159 



Jewish Sibbath 



BARNABAS. 



typical. 



Spirit. And Moses when he 

had received them brought them 

down that he might deliver them 
to the people. 

14 And the Lord said unto 
Moses; l Moses, Moses, get thee 
down quickly, for the people 
•which thou broughtest out of the 
land of Egypt have done wick- 
edly. 

15 And Moses understood that 
they had again set up a molten 
image : and he cast the two ta- 
bles out of his hands ; and the 
tables of the covenant of the 
Lord were broken. Moses there- 
fore received them, but they were 
not worthy. 

16 Now 7 then learn how we 
have received them. Moses, be- 
ing a servant, took them ; but 
the Lord himself has given 
them unto us, that we might be 
the people of his inheritance, 
having suffered for us. 

17 He was therefore made 
manifest ; that they should fill 
up the measure of their sins, 
and that we 2 being made heirs 
by him, should receive the cov- 
enant of the Lord Jesus. 

18 And again the prophet 
saith ; 3 Behold, I have set thee 
for a light unto the Gentiles, to 
be * the saviour of all the ends 
of the earth, saith the Lord the 
God who hath redeemed thee. 

19 Who for that very end 
was prepared, that by his own 
appearing he might redeem our 
hearts, already devoured by 
death, and delivered over to 
the irregularity of error, from 
darkness; and establish a cov- 
enant with us by his word. 

20 For so it is written that the 
father commanded him by deliv- 



ering us from darkness, to pre- 
pare unto himself a holy people. 

21 Wherefore the prophet 
Baith : 5 I the Lord thy God 
have called thee in righteous- 
ness, and I will take thee by 
thy hand and will strengthen 
thee. And give thee for a cov- 
enant of the people, for a light 
of the Gentiles. 6 To open the 
eyes of the blind, to bring out 
the prisoners from the prison, 
and them that sit in darkness 
out of the prison house. 

22 Consider therefore from 
whence we have been redeemed. 
And again the prophet saith : 
7 The spirit of the Lord is upon 
me, because he hath anointed 
me : he hath sent me to preach 
glad tidings to the lowly ; to 
heal the broken in heart ; to 
preach remission to the captives, 
and sight unto the blind ; to 
proclaim the acceptable year of 
the Lord, and the day of resti- 
tution ; to comfort all that 



mourn. 



CHAP. XIII. 



That the sabbath of the Jews was but a 
figure of a more glorious sabbath to 
come, and their temple, of the spirit- 
ual temples of God. 

FURTHERMORE it is writ- 
ten concerning the sab- 
bath, in the Ten 8 Command- 
ments, which God sjoake in the 
Mount Sinai to Moses, 9 face to 
face ; Sanctify the sabbath of 
the Lord with pure hands, and 
with a clean heart. 

2 And elsewhere he saith ; 
10 If thy children shall keep my 
sabbaths, then will I put my 
mercy upon them. 

3 And even in the beginning 
of the creation he makes men- 



1 Exod. xxxii. 7. Dent. ix. 12. 2 Vid. Lat. Interpret. Vet. 3 Isaiah 
xlix. 6. 4 For salvation unto. 5 Isaiah xlii. ft. 6 Versp 7. 7 Isaiah 

lxi. 1, 2 Comp. Luke, iv. 18. 8 Words. 9 Exod. xx. 8. 10 Jer. xvii. 24. 
160 



The temple 



BARNABAS. 



typical 



tion of the sabbath. l And 
God made in six days the works 
of his hands; and he finished 
them on the 2 seventh day, and 
he rested the seventh day, and 
sanctified it. 

4 Consider, my children, what 
that signifies, he finished them 
in six days. The meaning of it 
is this; that in 3 six thousand 
years the Lord God will bring 
all things to an end. 

5 For with him one day is a 
thousand years ; as himself tes- 
tified, saying, Behold this day 
shall be as a thousand years. 
Therefore, children, in six days, 
that is, in six thousand years, 
shall 4 all things be accom- 
plished. 

6 And what is that he saith, 
And he rested the seventh day : 
he meaneth this ; that when his 
Son shall come, and abolish the 
season of the 5 Wicked One, and 
judge the ungodly ; and shall 
change the sun and the moon, 
and the stars ; then he shall 
gloriously rest in that seventh 
day. 

7 He adds lastly ; Thou shalt 
sanctify it with clean hands and 
a pure heart. Wherefore we 
are greatly deceived if we 
imagine that any one can now 
sanctify that day which God has 
made holy, without having a 
heart pure in all things. 

8 Behold therefore he will 
then truly sanctify it with bles- 
sed rest, when we (having re- 
ceived the righteous promise, 
when iniquity shall be no more, 
all things being renewed by the 



Lord) shall be able to sanctify 
it, being ourselves first made 
holy. 

9 Lastly, he saith unto them : 
6 Your new moons and your 
sabbaths I cannot bear them. 
Consider what he means by it ; 
the sabbaths, says he, which ye 
now keep are not acceptable 

| unto me, but those which I have 
; made ; when resting from all 
j things I shall begin 7 the eighth 
! day, that is, the beginning of 
the other world. 

10 For which cause we ob- 
serve the eighth day with glad- 
ness, in which Jesus rose from 
the dead ; and having mani- 
fested himself to his disciples, 
ascended into heaven. 

11 Tf It remains yet that I 
speak to you concerning the tem- 
ple how these miserable men be- 
ing deceived have put their trust 
in the house, 8 and not in God 
himself who made them, as if it 
were the habitation of God. 

12 For much after the same 
manner as the Gentiles, they con- 
secrated him in the temple. 

13 But learn therefore how the 
Lord speaketh, rendering the 
temple vain : 9 Who has measur- 

I ed the heaven with a span, and 
( the earth with his hand ? Is it 
1 not I ? Thus saith the Lord, 10 

Heaven is my throne, and the 
1 earth is my footstool. What is 

the house that ye will build me ? 

Or what is the place of my rest? 

Know therefore that all their 

hope is vain. 

14 And again he speaketh 
after this manner : n Behold they 



1 Gen. ii. 2. Exod. xx. 11, xxxi. 17. 
3 How general this tradition then was. 
Edit. Oxon, page 90, a. Psalm lxxxix. 4 
Gospel, says Dr. Bernard, q. v. Annot p 



Vers. 6 Isaiah, i. 13. 7 So the other Fathers, q. v. apud. 
in loc. p. 36. 8 Vid. Edit. Oxon. et Vet. Lat. Interp. 

10 Isaiah, ixvi. 1. n Isaiah, xlix. 17. 
11 



2 Vid. Coteler. Annot. in loc. 
See Coteler. Annot. in loc. 

4 That is, to the time of the 
127, Ed. Oxon. 5 So the Lat. 



Coteler. Annot. 
9 Isaiah, xl..!2. 

161 



of (he way 



BARNABAS. 



of Uyht 



that destroy this temple, even 
they shall again build it up. 
And BO it came to pass ; for 
through their wars it is now de- 
stroyed by their enemies; and 
the servants of their enemies 
built it up. 

15 Furthermore it has been 
made manifest, how both the city 
and the temple, and the people of 
Israel should be given up. For 
the Scripture saith ; l And it shall 
come to pass in the last days, that 
the Lord will deliver up the 
sheep of his pasture, and their 
fold, and their tower into destruc- 
tion. And it is come to pass, as 
the Lord hath spoken. 

16 Let us inquire therefore, 
whether there be any temple of 
God ? Yes there is ; and that 
there, where himself declares 
that he would both make and 
perfect it. For it is written ; 
2 .Aud it shall be that as soon as 
the week shall be completed, the 
temple of the Lord shall be 
gloriously built in the name of 
the Lord. 

17 I find therefore that there 
is a temple. But how shall it be 
built in the name of the Lord? 
I will shew you. 

18 Before that we believed in 
God, the habitation of our heart 
was corruptible, and feeble, as a 
temple truly built with hands. 

19 For it was a house full of 
idolatry, a house of devils ; inas- 
much as there was done in it 
whatsoever was contrary unto 
God. But it shall be built in 
the name of the Lord. 

20 Consider, how that the 
temple of the Lord shall be very 
gloriously built; and by what 
means that shallbe, learn. 

21 Having received remission 
of our sins, and trusting in the 

^eph. ii. 6. just. Heb. 
4 So the old Lat. Interp. 
162 



name of the Lord, we are become 
renewed, being again created as 
it were from the beginning. 
Wherefore God truly dwells in 
our house, that is, in us. 

22 But how does he dwell in 
us? The word of his faith, the 
calling of his promise, the wisdom 
of his righteous judgments, the 
commands of his doctrine ; he 
himself prophesies within us, he 
himself dwelleth in us, and open- 
eth to us who were in bondage 
of death the gate of our 3 temple, 
that is, the mouth of wisdom, 
having given repentance unto 
us ; and by this means has 
brought us to be an incorruptible 
temple. 

23 He therefore that desires to 
be saved looketh not unto the 
man, but unto him that dwelleth 
in him, and speaketh by him ; 
being struck with wonder, foras- 
much as he never either heard 
him speaking such words out of 
his mouth, nor ever desired to 
hear them. 

24 This is that spiritual temple 
that is built unto the Lord. 

CHAP. XIV. 

Of the way of light ; being a summary 
of what a Christian is to do, that he 
may be happy for ever. 

AND thus, I trust, I have de- 
clared to you as much, and 
with as great simplicity as I 
could, those things which make 
for your salvation, so as not to 
have omitted anything that 
might be requisite thereunto. 

2 For should I speak further 
of the things that 4 now are, and 
of those that are to come, you 
would not yet understand them, 
seeing they He in parables. This 
therefore shall suffice as to these 
I things. 

2 Dan. ix. Haggai, ii. 3 Vid. Lat. Ver. Interp. 



to a Christian. 



BARNABAS. 



Way of darkness. 



3 L2t us now go on to the other 
kind of knowledge and doctrine. 
There are two ways of doctrine 
and power ; the one of light, the 
other of darkness. 

4 But there is a great deal 
of difference between these two 
ways : for over one are appointed 
the l angels of God, the leaders 
of the way of Kght ; over ths 
other, the angels of Satan. And 
the one is the Lord from everlast- 
ing to everlasting ; the other is 
the prince of the time of un- 
righteousness. 

5 Now the way of light is this, 
if any one desires to attain to the 
place that is appointed for him, 
and will hasten thither by his 
works. And the knowledge that 
has been given to us for walking 
in it, to this effect : Thou shalt 
love him that made thee: thou 
shalt glorify him that hath re- 
deemed thee from death. 

6 Thou shalt be simple in 
heart, and rich in the spirit. 
Thou shalt not cleave to those 
that walk in the way of death. 
Thou shalt hate to do anything 
that is not pleasing unto God. 
Thou shalt abhor all dissimula- 
tion. Thou shalt not neglect 
any of the commands of the 
Lord. 

7 Thou shalt not exalt thyself, 
but shalt be humble. Thou shalt 
not take honour to thyself. Thou 
shalt not enter into any wicked 
counsel against thy neighbour. 
Thou shalt not be over-confident 
in thy heart. 

8 Thou shalt not commit forni- 
cation, nor adultery. Neither 
shalt thou corrupt thyself with 
mankind. Thou shalt not make 
use of the word of God, to any 
impurity. 



9 Thou shalt not accept any 
man's person, when thou re- 
provest any one's faults. Thou 
shalt be gentle. Thou shalt be 
quiet. Thou shalt tremble at 
the words which thou hast heard. 
Thou shalt not keep any hatred 
in thy heart against thy brother. 
Thou shalt not entertain any 
doubt whether it shall be or 
not. 

10 Thou shalt not take the 
name of the Lord in vain. Thou 
shalt love thy neighbour above 
thy own soul. 

11 Thou shalt not destroy thy 
conceptions before they are 
brought forth ; nor kill them 
after they are born. 

12 Thou shalt not withdraw 
thy hand from thy -son, or from 
thy daughter; but shall teach 
them from their youth the fear 
of the Lord. 

13 Thou shalt not covet thy 
neighbour's goods; neither shalt 
thou be 2 an extortioner. Neither 
shall thy heart be joined to proud 
men ; but thou shalt be num- 
bered among the righteous and 
the lowly. Whatever 3 events 
shall happen unto thee, thou 
shalt receive them as good. 

14 Thou shalt not be double- 
minded, or double-tongued ; for 
a double tongue is the snare of 
death. Thou shalt be subject 
unto the Lord and to inferior 
masters as to the representatives 
of God, in fear and reverence. 

15 Thou shalt not be bitter in 
thy commands towards any of 
thy servants that trust in God ; 
lest thou chance not to fear him 
who is over both ; because he 
came not to call any with re- 
spect of persons, but whomsoever 
the spirit had prepared. 



1 Vid. Coteler. in loc. et Basil, in Psalm i. 

3 Effects. 



'Greedy, irAeowKr^f. 

163 



Vho shall be 



JJAKNABAS. 



east out. 



16 Thou shalt communicate 
to thy neighbour of all thou 
basl ; thou shalt not call any- 
thing thine own: for if ye par- 
take in such things as are incor- 
ruptible, how much more should 
you do it in those that are cor- 
ruptible? 

17 x Thou shalt not be forward 
to speak ; for the mouth is the 
snare of death. ' Strive for thy 
soul with all thy might. 3 Reach 
not out thine hand to receive, 
and withhold it not when thou 
shouldest give. 

18 Thou shalt love, as the 
apple of thine eye, every one 
that speaketh unto thee the 
Word of the Lord. i Call to thy 
remembrance, day and night, 
the future judgment. 

19 Thou shalt seek out every 
day the persons of the 5 right- 
eous : and both consider and go 
about to exhort others by the 
word, and meditate how thou 
mayest save a soul. 

20 Thou shalt also labour 
with thy hands to give to the 
poor, 6 that thy sins may be for- 
given thee. Thou shalt not de- 
liberate whether thou shouldst 
give: nor, having given, mur- 
mur at it. 

21 Give to every one that 
asks : so shalt thou know who is 
the good rewarder of thy gifts. 

22 Keep what thou hast re- 
ceived ; thou shalt neither add 
to it nor take from it. 

23 Let the wicked be always 
thy aversion. Thou shalt judge 
righteous judgment. Thou shalt 
never cause divisions ; but shalt 
make peace between those that 



are at variance, and bring them 
together. 

24 Thou shalt confess thy sins ; 
and not come to thy prayer with 
an evil conscience. 

25 This is the way of light. 

CHAP. XV. 

Of the way of darkness; thai is, what 
hind of persons shall be for ever cast 
out of the kingdom of God. 

BUT the way of darkness is 
crooked and full of cursing. 
For it is the way of eternal 
death, with punishment ; in 
which they that walk meet those 
things that destroy their own 
souls. 

2 Such are; idolatry, confi- 
dence, pride of power, hypoc- 
risy, double-mindedness, adul- 
tery, murder, rapine, pride, 
transgression, deceit, malice, ar- 
rogance, witchcraft, covetous- 
ness, and the want of the fear 
of God. 

3 In this walk those who are 
the persecutors of them that are 
good ; haters of truth ; lovers of 
lies ; who know not the reward 
of righteousness, nor cleave to 
any thing that is good. 

4 Who administer not right- 
eous judgment to the widow and 
orphan ; who watch for wicked- 
ness, and not for the fear of the 
Lord : 

5 From whom gentleness and 
patience are far off; who love 
vanity, and follow after rewards ; 
having no compassion upon the 
poor; nor take any pains for 
such as are heavy laden and 
oppressed. 

6 Ready to evil speaking, not 



1 See Eccles. iv. 29. 2 Ibid., ver. 28. For so I choose to read 

it, v-ep TJjg ipvxyc gov ayuvevaeic, according to the conjecture of Cotelerius. 
8 Ibid., ver. 36. 4 And remember him night and day. The words q/iepac 
Kpiceuc, seem to have been erroneously inserted, and pervert the sense. 
6 Gr. Saints. 6 Gr. For the redemption of thy sins. Comp. Dan. iv. 24. 
See lxx. 

164 



Who shall be 



BARNABAS. 



cant out. 



knowing him that made them ; 
murderers of children ; corrupt- 
ers of the creatures of God ; 
that turn away from the needy; 
oppress the afflicted ; are the 
advocates of the rich, but unjust 
judges of the poor; being alto- 
gether sinners. 

7 It is therefore fitting that 
learning the just commands of 
the Lord, which we have before 
mentioned, we should walk in 
them. For he who does such 
things shall be glorified in the 
kingdom of God. 

8 But he that chooses the 
other part, shall be destroyed, 
together with his works. For 
this cause there shall be both a 
resurrection, and a retribution. 

9 I beseech those that are in 
high estate among you, (if so be 
you will take the counsel which 
with a good intention I offer to 
you,) you have those with you 
towards whom you may do good; 
do not forsake them. 

10 For the day is at hand in 
which all things shall be de- 
stroyed, together with the wicked 
one. The Lord is near, and his 
reward is with him. 

11 I beseech you, therefore, 
again, and again, be as good 
lawgivers to one another; con- 
tinue faithful counsellors to each 
other ; remove from among you 
all hypocrisy. 



12 And may God, the Lord 
! of all the world give you wis- 
dom, knowledge, counsel, and 
' understanding of his judgments 
in patience. 

13 Be ye taught of God ; 
seeking what it is the Lord re- 
quires of you, and doing it ; that 
ye may be saved in the day of 
judgment. 

14 And if there be among you 
any remembrance of what is 
good, think of me; meditating 
upon these things, that both my 
desire and my watching for you 
may turn to a good account. 

15 I beseech you; I ask it as 
a favour of you ; whilst you are 

j in this beautiful x tabernacle of 
I the body, be wanting in none of 
i these things ; but without ceasing 
j seek them, and fulfil every com- 
mand. For these things are 
fitting and worthy to be done. 

16 Wherefore I have given 
the more diligence to write unto 
you, according to my ability, 
that you might rejoice. Fare- 
well, children, of love and peace. 

17 The Lord of glory and of 
all grace, be with your spirit, 
Amen. 



1" The end of the Epistle of Bar- 
nabas, the Apostle, and felloiv- 
traveller of St. Paul the Apostle. 



165 



The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the EPHESIANS. 



f Of tin: Epistles op Ignatius. 

[The Epistlei of [gnatine are translated by Archbishop Wake from the 
text uf Voasiue. ble Bayi that there were: considerable differences in the 
editions; the best for :i long time extant containing fabrications, and 
ibc genuine being altered and corrupted. Archbishop Usher printed 
old Latin translations of them at Oxford, in 1644. At Amsterdam, two 
yearn afterwards, Vossius printed six of them, in their ancient and pure 
Greek; and the seventh greatly amended from the ancient Latin ver- 
sion, \va> printed ai Paris, by Kuinart, in 1689, in the Acta and Mar- 
tyrdom of [gnatius, from a Greek uninterpolated copy. These are 
supposed io form the collection that Polycarp made of the Epistles of 
Ignatius, mentioned by [renseus. Origen, Eusebius, Jerome, Athanasius, 
Theodoret, and other ancients ; but many learned men have imagined 
all of them to be apocryphal. This supposition, the piety of Archbishop 
Wake, and his persuasion of their utility to the faith of the church, will 
not permit him to entertain ; hence he has taken great pains to render 
the present translation acceptable, by adding numerous readings and 
references to the Canonical Books.] 



CHAP. I. 

1 Commends them for sending Onesirnus, 
and other numbers of the church to 
him. 8 Exhorts them to unity, 13 
by a due subjection to their bishop. 

IGNATIUS, who is also called 
Theophorus, to the church 
which is at Ephesus in Asia; 
most deservedly happy ; being 
blessed through the greatness 
and fulness 2 of God the Father, 
and predestinated before the 
world began, that it should be 
always unto an enduring and un- 
changeable glory ; being united 
and chosen 3 through his true 
passion, according to the will of 
the Father, and Jesus Christ our 
God; all 4 happiness, by Jesus 
Christ, and 5 his undefiled grace. 

2 I have heard of your name 
much beloved in God ; which ye 
have 6 very justly attained by a 
7 habit of righteousness, accord- 
ing to the faith and love which 
is in Jesus Christ our Saviour. 

3 How that being 8 followers 
of God, and stirring up your- 
selves by the blood of Christ ye 
have perfectly accomplished the 



work that was con-natural unto 
you. 

4 For hearing that I came 
bound from Syria, for the com- 
mon name and 9 hope, trusting 
through your prayers to fight 
with beasts at Rome; so that by 

i 10 suffering I may become indeed 
! the disciple of him "who gave 
himself to God, an offering and 
sacrifice for us; K (ye hastened 
[ to see me). I received, there- 
fore, in the name of God, your 
whole multitude in Onesirnus. 

5 Who by inexpressible love 
is ours, but according to the 
flesh is your bishop; whom I 
beseech you, by Jesus Christ, to 
love; and that you would all 
strive to be like unto him. And 
blessed be God, who has granted 
unto you, who are so worthy of 
him, to 13 enjoy such an excellent 
bishop. 

6 For what concerns my fel- 
low servant Burrhus, and your 
14 most blessed deacon in things 
pertaining to God ; I entreat you 
that he may tarry longer, both for 
yours, and your bishop's honour. 



1 In. 2 See Eph. iii. 19. 3 In. 4 Health, Joy. 5 Received. Vid. Epiat, 
Interpol. 6 Vid. Coteler. in loc. Comp. Gal. iv. 8. 7 Pearson. Vind. Ignat. 
Par. 2, cap. 14. 8 Imitators. 9 Viz. of Christ. 10 Martyrdom. u Eph. v. 
2. 12 See the old Lat. Ed. of Bishop Usher. 13 Possess. l4 Blessed in all 
things. 

166 



Of unity 



EPHESIANS. 



and subjection. 



7 And Crocus also worthy 
both our God and you, whom I 
have received as the pattern of 
your love, has in all things re- 
freshed me, as the Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ shall also re- 
fresh him ; together with Onesi- 
mus, and Burrhus, and Euclus, 
and Fronto, Mn whom I have, 
as to your charity, seen all of you. 
And may I always, 2 have joy of 
you, if I shall be worthy of it. 

8 It is therefore fitting that 
you should 3 by all means glorify 
Jesus Christ who hath glorified 
you : that i by a uniform obe- 
dience 5 ye may be perfectly 
joined together, in the same 
mind, and in the same judgment: 
and may all speak the same' 
things concerning everything. 

9 And that being subject to 
6 your bishop, and the presby- 
tery, ye may be wholly and tho- 
roughly sanctified. 

10 These things I 7 prescribe 
to you, not as if I were some- 
body extraordinary : for though 
I am bound 8 for his name, I am 
not yet perfect in Christ Jesus. 

9 But now I begin to learn, and 
I speak to you as fellow disci- 
ples together with me. 

11 For I ought to have been 
stirred up by you, in faith, in 
admonition, in patience, in long- 
suffering ; but forasmuch as cha- 
rity suffers me not to be silent 

10 towards you, I have first taken 
upon me to exhort you, that ye 
would all run together according 
to the will of God. 

12 For even Jesus Christ, our 
inseparable life, is sent by the 

11 will of the Father ; as the 
bishops, appointed unto the ut- 



most bounds of the earth, are by 
the will of Jesus Christ. 

13 ia Wherefore it will become 
you to run together according 
to the will of your bishop, as 
also ye do. 

14 For your "famous presby- 
tery, worthy of God, is fitted as 
exactly to the bishop, as the 
strings are to the harp. ^ 

15 Therefore in your concord 
and agreeing charity, Jesus 
Christ is sung ; and every single 
person among you makes up the 
chorus : 

16 That so being all conso- 
nant in u love, and taking up 
the song of God, ye may in a 
perfect unity with one voice, 
sing to the Father by Jesus 
Christ ; to the end that he may 
both hear you, and perceive by 
your works, that ye are indeed 
the members of his son. 

17 Wherefore it is profitable 
for you to live in an unblamea- 
ble unity, that so ye may always 
15 have a fellowship with God. 

CHAP. II. 

1 The benefit of subjection. 4 The 
bishop not to be respected the less 
because he is not forward in exacting 
it: 8 warns them against heretics; 
bidding them cleave to Jesus, whose 
divine and human nature is declared; 
commends them for their care to keep 
themselves from false teachers; and 
shews them the way to God. 

FOR if I in this little time have 
had such a familiarity with 
your bishop, I mean not a carnal, 
but spiritual acquaintance with 
him ; how much more must I 
think you happy who are so 
joined to him, as the church is to 
Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ to 



1 By. 2 See Philem. 20. Wisd. xxx. 2. 3 In all manner of ways. 4 In 
one. 5 1 Cor. i. 10. 6 The. 7 Command you. 8 In. 9 For. 10 Concerning. 
11 Mind, counsel, opinion, &c. 12 Whence. 13 Worthy to be named. u Con- 
cord. )5 Partake of. 

167 



J. ore to tic bishop. 



EPHESTANS. Exhorts against heresy. 



the Father ; that BO all things dogs, who bite .secretly : against 

may agree in the Bame unity ■. / win 'in ye must guard yourselves, 

2 Let in) man deceive himself; as men hardly tO he cured. 

if a man be not within the altar, 7 There is one physician, both 

he is deprived of the bread of fleshly and spiritual; made and 

God. €OT if the prayers of 1 One not made; God incarnate; true 

or two be of such force, as we Life in death; both of Mary and of 

are told; how much more power- God ; first passible, then impaesi- 

t'ui shall that of the bishop and ble ; even Jesus Christ our Lord. 

the whole church be? 8 Wherefore let no man de- 

o He therefore that does not ceive you ; as indeed neither are 

come together in the same place ye deceived, being wholly the 

with it, is * proud, and has al- servants of God. For inasmuch 



ready 8 condemned himself. For 

it is written, * God resisteth the 
proud. Let us take heed there- 
fore, that we do not set ourselves 
against the bishop, that we may 
be Bubject to God. 

4 5 The more any one sees his 
bishop Bilent, the more let him 
revere him. For whomsoever 
the master of the house sends to 



as there is no contention nor 
strife among you, 9 to trouble you, 
10 ye must needs live according 
to God's will. u My soul be for 
jours; and I myself the expi- 
atory offering for your church of 
Ephesus, so famous n throughout 
the world. 

9 They that are of the flesh 
cannot do the works of the spirit ; 



be over his own household, we ! neither they that are of the spirit 
ought in like manner to receive the works of the flesh. 13 As he 
him, as we would do him that that has faith cannot be an infi- 
sent him. It is therefore evident j del ; nor he that is an infidel have 
that we ought to look upon the j faith. But even those things 
bishop, even as w r e would do upon which ye do according to the flesh 
the Lord himself. are spiritual ; forasmuch as ye 

5 And indeed Onesimus him- do all things in Jesus Christ. 
self does greatly commend your! 10 Nevertheless I have 14 heard 
^ood order in God: that you all of some who have 15 passed by 
live according to the truth, and you, having perverse doctrine ; 
that no heresy dwells among you. whom ye did not suffer to sow 1S 
For neither do ye hearken to any among you ; but stopped your 
one more than to Jesus 
speaking to you in truth. 



6 For some there are who 
carry about the name of Christ 



to . 

Christ ears, that ye might not receive 
those things that were sown by 
them ; " as becoming the stones 
of the temple of the Father, pre- 



7 in deceitfulness, but do things j pared for 18 his building ; and 
unworthy of God; whom ye must j drawn up on high by the Cross 

8 flee, as ye would do so many wild j of Christ, 19 as by an engine, 
beasts. For they are ravening! 11 Using the Holy Ghost as 

1 Matt, xviii. 19. 2 Is already proud and has, &c. 3 Judged, or separated. 
4 James, iv. 6. 5 And the. 'Accustom themselves to carry. 7 In wicked 
deceit. 8 Avoid. 9 Which can. 10 Without doubt ye live. n Yid. Voss. 
Annot. in loc. Pearson, Vind. Ign. par. 2, pp. 207, 208. 1-i To ages. 13 As 
neither is faith the things of infidelitv, nor infidelity the things of faith. 
14 Known. te Passed thither. 16 Upon. 17 Comp. Eph. ii. 20, 21, 22. 
1 Pet. ii. 5. 18 The building of God the Father. 19 By the engine of the 
cross, etc. 

168 



Exhorts to prayer, 



EPHESIANS. 



against sin, 



the rope : your faith being your 
support ; and your charity the 
way that leads unto God. 

12 Ye are therefore, with all 
your companions in the same 
journey, full of God; his spiri- 
tual temples, 2 full of Christ, full 
of holiness : adorned in all things 
with the commands of Christ. 

13 In whom also I rejoice that 
I have been thought worthy by 
3 this present epistle to converse, 
and joy together with you ; that 
with respect to the other life, ye 
love nothing but God only. 

CHAP. III. 

1 Exhorts them to prayer; to be un- 
blameable- 5 T> be careful of salva- 
tion ; 11 frequent in public devotion, ; 
13 and to live in charity. 

PRAY also without ceasing 
for other men : for there is 
hope of repentance in them, that 
they may attain unto God. Let 
them therefore at least be in- 
structed by your works, if they 
will be no other way. 

2 Be ye mild at their anger ; 
humble at their boasting; to their 
blasphemies return your prayers : 
to their error, your 4 firmness in 
the faith : when they are cruel, 
be ye gentle ; not endeavouring 
to imitate their ways. 

(3 Let us be their brethren in 
all kindness and moderation, but 
let us be followers of the Lord ; 
5 for who was ever more unjustly 
used ? More destitute ? More 
despised ?) 

4 That so no herb of the devil 
may be found in you: but ye may 
remain in all holiness and so- 
briety 6 both of body and spirit, 
in Christ Jesus. 



5 The last times 7 are come 
upon us : let us therefore be very 
reverent and fear the long-suffer- 
ing of God, that it be not to us 
unto condemnation. 

6 For let us either fear the 
wrath that is to come, or let us 
love the grace 8 that we at present 
enjoy: that 9 by the one, or other, 
of these we may be found in 
Christ Jesus, unto true life. 

7 10 Besides him, let nothing 
11 be worthy of you ; 12 for whom 
also I bear about these bonds, 
those spiritual jewels, in which I 
would to God that I might arise 
through your prayers. 

8 Of which I entreat you to 
make me always partaker, that I 
may be found in the lot of the 
Christians of Ephesus, who have 
always 13 agreed with the Apos- 
tles, 14 through the power of Jesus 
Christ. 

9 Tf I know both who I am, 
and to whom I write ; I, a person 
condemned: ye, such as have 
obtained mercy : I, exposed to 
danger ; ye, confirmed against 
danger. 

10 Ye are the passage of those 
that are killed for God ; the com- 
panions of Paul in the mysteries 
of the Gospel; the Holy, the 
15 martyr, the deservedly most 
happy Paul : at whose feet may I 
be found, when I shall have at- 
tained unto God ; who 16 through- 
out all his epistle, makes mention 
of you in Christ Jesus. 

11 Let it be your care there- 
fore to come more fully together, 
to the praise and glory of God. 
For when ye meet fully together 
in the same place, the powers of 



1 Pearson, in. part 2, cap. 12. 2 Carriers. 3 These things I write. 4 Be 
ye firm. 5 Who has been more, etc. 6 In Jesus Christ both bodily and 

spiritually. 1 Cor. vii 34. 'Remain: or, for it remains. 8 Is present. 
9 One of the two, only that we may be found, etc. 10 Without him. 



11 Become you. 12 In. 13 Assented to. u In. 
Coteler. in loc. Pears. Vind. Ign. Par 2, cap. 10. 



15 Witnessed of. 16 Vid. 

169 



to charity, and to 



EPHESIANS. 



love of the Gospel. 



the devil are destroyed, and his 

1 mischief i> dissolved by the 

2 unity of their faith. 

12 And indeed, nothing is 
better than peace, by which all 

war both " spiritual and earthly 
is abolished. 

13 Of all which nothing is 
hid from you, if ye have perfect 
faith and charity in Christ Jesus, 
which are the beginning and end 
of life. 

14 For the beginning is faith; 
the end is charity. And these 
two 4 joined together, are of God : 
but all other things which con- 
cern a holy life are the conse- 
quences of these. 

15 No man professing a true 
faith, sinneth ; neither does he 
who has charity hate any. 

16 3 The tree is made manifest 
by its fruit ; so they who profess 
themselves to be Christians 6 are 
known by what they do. 

17 For Christianity is not the 
work of an outward profession ; 
but shows itself in the power of 
faith, if a man be found faithful 
unto the end. 

18 It is better for a man to 
hold his peace, and be ; v than to 
say he is a Christian and not to be. 

19 It is good to teach; 8 if 
w T hat he says he does likewise. 

20 There is therefore one mas-, 
ter who spake, and it was done; 
and even those things which he 
did without speaking, are worthy 
of the Father. 

21 He that possesses the word 
of Jesus is truly able to hear his 
very silence, that he may be 
perfect; 9 and both do according 
to what he speaks, and be known 



by those things of which he is 
Bilent 

22 There is nothing hid from 
God, but even our secrets are 
nigh unto him, 

2:] Let us therefore do all 
things, as becomes those who 
have 10 God dwelling in them; 
that we may be his temples, and 
he may be our God : as also he 
is, and will manifest himself be- 
fore our faces, by those things 
11 for which we justly love him. 

CHAP. IV. 

1 To have a care for the Gospel. 9 The 
virginity of Mary, the incarnation, 
and the death of Christ, were hid from 
the Devil. 11 How the birth of Christ 
was revealed. lb' Exhorts to unity. 

BE not deceived, my brethren : 
those that 12 corrupt families 
by adultery, shall not inherit the 
kingdom of God. 

2 If therefore they who do 
this according to the flesh, 13 have 
suffered death ; how much more 
shall he die, who by his wicked 
doctrine corrupts the faith of 
God, for which Christ was cru- 
cified ? 

3 u He that is thus defiled, 
shall depart into unquenchable 
fire, and so also shall he that 
15 hearkens to him. 

4 For this cause did the Lord 
16 suffer the ointment to be poured 
on his head ; that he might 
breathe the breath of immortality 
unto his church. 

5 Be not ye therefore anointed 
with the evil savour of the doc- 
trine of the prince of this world : 
let him not take you captive from 
the life that is set before you. 

6 And why are we not all 



1 Destruction. 2 Conoord. 3 Of things in heaven and of things on earth. 
4 Beinor in unity. 5 Matt. xii. 38. 6 Shall be seen or made manifest. 
7 Speaking, not to be. 8 Tf he who says, does. 9 That he may. 10 Him. 
11 Out of. 12 The corrupters of houses. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 13 1 Cor. x. 8. 
14 Such a one being become defiled. 15 Hears him. 16 Receives ointment. 
Pralrn xliv. 8, exxxii. 2. 

170 



Tlie incarnation, &c, EPHESIANS. 



hid from the devil. 



wise, seeing we have received 
the knowledge of God, which is 
Jesus Christ ? Why l do we suf- 
fer ourselves foolishly to perish ; 
2 not considering the gift which 
the Lord has truly sent to us? 

7 3 Let my life be sacrificed 
for the doctrine of the cross ; 
which is indeed a scandal to the 
unbelievers, but to us is salvation 
and life eternal. 

8 * Where is the wise man ? 
Where is the disputer ? Where 
is the boasting of those who are 
called wise ? 

9 For our God Jesus Christ 
was according to the dispensation 
of God 5 conceived in the womb 
of Mary, of the seed of David, 
6 by the Holy Ghost ; 7 he was 
born and baptized, that through 
his passion he might purify 
water, to the washing away of sin. 

1 Now the Virginity of Mary, 
and he who was born of her, was 
kept in secret from the prince 
of this world; as was also the 
death of our Lord : three of the 
8 mysteries the most spoken of 
throughout the world, yet done 
in 9 secret by God. 

11 How then was our Saviour 
manifested to the world? A 
star shone in heaven beyond all 
the other stars, and its light was 
inexpressible, and its novelty 
struck terror into men's minds. 
All the rest of the stars, together 
with the sun and moon, were the 
chorus to this star ; but that 
sent out its light exceedingly 
above them all. 

12 And men 10 began to be 
troubled to think whence this 

11 new star came so unlike to 

12 all the others. 



13 Hence all the power of 
magic became dissolved ; and 
every bond of wickedness was 

13 destroyed : men's ignorance 
was taken away ; and the old 
kingdom abolished ; God himself 

14 appearing in the form of a man, 
for the renewal of eternal life. 

14 From thence began what 
God had prepared : from thence- 
forth things were disturbed; for- 
asmuch as he designed to abolish 
death. 

15 But if Jesus Christ shall 
give me grace through your 
prayers, and it be his will, I 
purpose in a second epistle which 
I will suddenly write unto you 
to manifest to you more fully 
the dispensation of which I have 
now begun to speak, unto the new 
man, which is Jesus Christ; both 
in his faith, and charity ; in his 
suffering, and in his resurrection. 

16 Especially if the Lord shall 

15 make known unto me, that ye 
all by name come together in 
common in one faith, and in one 
Jesus Christ ; who was of the 
race of David according to the 
flesh ; the Son of man, and Son 
of God ; 16 obeying your bishop 
and the presbytery with an en- 
tire 17 affection; breaking one 
and the same bread, which is the 
medicine of immortality ; our 
antidote that we should not die, 
but live forever in Christ Jesus. 

17 My soul be for yours, and 
theirs whom ye have sent to the 
glory of God, even unto Smyrna, 
from whence also I write to you ; 
giving thanks unto the Lord 
and loving Polycarp even as I 
do you. Remember me, as Jesus 
Christ does remember you. 



1 Are we foolishly destroyed ? 2 Not knowing. 3 See Dr. Smith's note in 
loc. 1 Cor. i. 18, 23, 24- * 1 Cor. i. 20. 5 Carried. 6 But by. * Who was. 
8 Mysteries of noise. 9 Silence or quietness. See Kom. xvi. 25. 10 There 
was a disorder. u Novelty. u Them. 13 Disappeared. 14 Being made 
manifest. l5 Keveal. 16 That ye mav obey. 17 Mind. 

171 



Exhorts to /•' '•' /•' nee 



MAGNESIANS. 



the bishop. 



18 Pray for the church which worthy to be found to the glory 
IS in Syria, from whence J am ofGod. 

carried hound to Koine; being 19 Fare ye well in God the 
the least of all the faithful which Father, and in Jesus Christ, our 
are there, as 1 have bees thought common Hope. Auieu. 
Tf To the Epheslans. 



The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the MAGNESIANS. 



CHAP. I. 

4 Mention* the arrival of Damas, their 
bishop, and others, ti whom he exhorts 
them to reverence, 'notwithstanding he 
wan a young man. 

IGNATIUS who is also called 
Theophorus ; to the blessed 
1 (church) 2 by the grace of God 
the Father in Mesus Christ our 
Saviour: in whom I salute the 
church which is at Magnesia 
near the Mieander : and wish it 
all joy in God the Father and in 
Jesus Christ. 

2 When I heard of your well 
ordered love and charity in God, 
being full of joy, I desired much 
to speak unto you in the faith 
of Jesus Christ. 

3 For having 4 been thought 
w T orthy to obtain a most excellent 
name, 5 in the bonds which I car- 
ry about, I 6 salute the churches; 
wishing in them a union both of 
the body and spirit of Jesus 
Christ, our eternal life : as also 
of faith and charity, to which 
nothing is preferred : but espe- 
cially of Jesus and the Father ; 
in whom 7 if we undergo all the 
injuries of the prince of this pre- 
sent world, and escape, we shall 
enjoy God. 

4 Seeing then I have been 



judged worthy to see you, by 
Damas your 8 most excellent 
bishop ; and by your very wor- 
thy presbyters, Bassus and Apol- 
lonius; and by my fellow-seivant 
Sotio, the deacon ; 

5 In whom a l rejoice, foras- 
much as he is the subject unto 
his bishop as to the grace of 
God, and to the presbytery as 
to the law of Jesus Christ; 10 I 
determined to write unto you. 

6 Wherefore it will become 
you also not u to use your bishop 
too familiarly upon the account 
of his youth ; but to yield all 
reverence to him according to 
the power of God the Father; as 
also I perceive that your holy 

J presbyters do : not considering 
| his 12 age, which indeed to ap- 
| pearance is young ; but as be- 
comes those who are prudent in 
God, submitting to him, or rather 
not to him, but to the Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, the bishop 
of us all. 

7 It will therefore 13 behoove 
you u with all sincerity, to obey 
your bishop ; in honour of him 
15 whose pleasure it is that ye 
should do so. 

8 Because he that does not do 
so, deceives not the bishop whom 



1 Vid. Interp. Lat. Epist. Interpol. 2 In. 3 According to. 4 Been vouch- 
safed a name carrying a great deal of divinity in it. 5 See Bishop Pearson. 
Vind. Ign. par. "ii. cap. 12, p. 146. 6 Sing, commend. 7 Undergoing, 
escaping. 8 Worthy of God. 9 Whom may I enjoy. 10 Apwl. Vet. Lat. 
Interp. Glorificato Deum Patrera D. nostri Jesu Christi. ll Vid. Voss. 
Annot. in loc. Pearson Praef. ad Vind. Ignat. 12 Seeming youthful state. 
13 It is becoming. M Without any hypocrisy. 15 Who willeth it. 

172 



Exhorts to live 



MAGNESIANS. orderly and in unity. 



cons most 9 dear to me being 
entrusted with the ministry of 
Jesus Christ ; who was the Father 
before all ages, and appeared in 
the 10 end to us. 

6 Wherefore taking the same 
11 holy course, see that ye all 
reverence one another: and let 
no one look upon his neighbour 
after the flesh ; but do ye all 
mutually love each other in 
Jesus Christ. 

7 Let there be nothing that 
may be able to make a division 
among you ; but be ye united to 
your bishop, and those who pre- 
side over you, to be your pattern 
and direction in the way to im- 
mortality. 

8 12 As therefore the Lord did 
nothing without the Father, 
being united to him ; neither by 
himself nor yet by his Apostles, 
so neither do ye do anything 
without your bishop and pres- 
byters : 

9 Neither endeavour to let 
anything appear rational to 
yourselves apart ; 

10 But being come together 
into the same place 13 have one 
common prayer; one supplica- 
tion ; one mind ; one hope ; one 
in charity, and in joy undefiled. 

11 There is one Lord Jesus 
Christ, than whom nothing is 
better. "Wherefore u come ye all 
together as unto one temple of 
God ; as to one 15 altar, as to one 
Jesus Christ ; who proceeded 
from one Father, and exists in 
one, and is returned to one. 

CHAP. III. 

1 He cautions them against false opin- 
ions. 4 EspeeiaHy those of 16 Ebion 
and the Judaizing Christians. 

1 Deludes. 2 Vid. Epist. Interp. ad loc. 3 Flesh. 4 Firmly. 5 Together. 
6 Character set. 7 Your whole multitude. 8 The concord of God. 9 Sweet. 
10 Was made manifest. Heb. ix. 26. n Habit of God. 12 John x. 30, xiv. 
11, 12, xvii. 21, 22. 13 Eph. iv. 3, 4, 5, 6. 14 Run. 15 John xvi. 28. 
16 Pearson, Vind. Ign. par. 2, cap. 4. 

173 



he sees, but ! affronts him that is 
invisible. 2 For whatsoever of 
this kind is done, it reflects not 
upon ;; man, but upon God, who 
knows the secrets of our hearts. 

9 It is therefore fitting, that 
we should not only be called 
Christians, but be so. 

10 As some call indeed their 
governor, bishop ; but yet do all 
things without him. 

11 But I can never think that 
such as these have a good con- 
science, seeing that they are not 
gathered together ^thoroughly ac- 
cording to God's commandment. 

CHAP. II. 

1 That as all must die, 4 he exhorts 
them to live orderly and in unity. 

SEEING then all things have 
an end, there are these two 
5 indifferently set before us, death 
and life: and every one shall 
depart unto his proper place. 

2 For as there are two sorts 
of coins, the one of God, the other 
of the world ; and each of these 
has its proper 6 inscription en- 
graven upon it ; so also is it here. 

3 The unbelievers are of this 
world ; but the faithful, through 
charity, have the character of 
God the Father by Jesus Christ : 
by whom if we are not readily 
disposed to die after the likeness 
of his passion, his life is not in us. 

4 Forasmuch, therefore, as I 
have in the persons before men- 
tioned seen 7 all of you in faith 
and charity ; I exhort you that 
ye study to do all things in a 
8 divine concord : 

5 Your bishop presiding in 
the place of God ; your presby- 
ters in the place of the council 
of the Apostles ; and your dea- 



Ca\ tio is against 



MAGNESIANS. 



false opinhms. 



BE not deceived with l strange 8 Wherefore being become 
doctrines; nor with old la- hi- disciples, let us learn to live 
bles which are unprofitable. For according to the rules of Christi- 
ii' we still continue to live ac- unity; for whosoever is called 
cording to the Jewish law, we do by any other name "besides 
confess ourselves not to have re- this, he is not of God. 
ceived -race For even the 9 Lay aside therefore the old 
most *holy prophets lived accord- and sour and evil leaven; and 
ing to Christ Jesus. | be ye changed into the new 

2 And for this cause were ! leaven, which is Jesus Christ, 
they persecuted, being inspired 10 Be ye salted in him, lest 

any one among you should be 
corrupted ; for by your savour 
ye shall be 13 judged. 

11 It is absurd to name Jesus 
Christ, and to Judaize. For the 



'to 

by his grace, 3 to convince the 
unbelievers and disobedient that 
there is one God who has mani- 
fested himself by Jesus Christ 
his Son; who is his * eternal 
word, not coming forth from si- 
lence, who in all things pleased 
him that sent him. 

3 Wherefore if they who were 



Christian religion did not M em- 
brace the Jewish, but the Jewish 
the Christian ; that so every 
tongue that believed might be 



brought up in these ancient gathered together unto God 
Maws came nevertheless to the | 12 These things, my beloved 



newness of hope : no longer ob- 
serving sabbaths, 6 but keeping 
the Lord's day in which also 
our life is sprung up by him, 
and through his death, 7 whom 
yet some deny : 

4 (By which mystery we have 
8 been brought to believe and 
therefore wait that we may be 
found the disciples of Jesus 
Christ, our only master :) 

5 How shall we be able to 
live 9 different from him whose 
disciples the very prophets them- 
selves being, did by the spirit 
expect him as their master. 

6 10 And therefore he whom 
they justly waited for, being 
come, raised them up from the 
dead. 

7 Let us not then be insensi- 
ble of his goodness ; for should 
he " have dealt with us accord- 
ing to our works, we had not now 
had a being. 

'Heterodox. 2 Most divine. 8 Fully to satisfy. * John, i. 1. 5 Things. 
6 Or. living according to. 7 Or, which. 8 Received. 9 Without. 10 Matt, xxvii. 52. 
11 Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc. should he have imitated our works, Gr. 12 More 
than. ,s Convicted, overthrown. u Believe. 15 Have yourselves so. 
16 Leeser than you. 17 Hooks. 18 Firmly. 
174 



write unto you ; not that I 
know of any among you that 

15 lie under this error ; but as 

16 one of the least among you, I 
am desirous to forewarn you, that 
ye fall not into the 17 snares of 
liaise doctrine. 

13 But that ye be fully in- 
structed in the birth, and suffer- 
ing, and resurrection of Jesus 
Christ, our hope ; which was ac- 
complished in the time of the 
government of Pontius Pilate, 
and that most truly and 18 cer- 
tainly : and from which God for- 
bid that any among you should 
be turned aside. 

CHAP. IV. 

1 Commends their faith and piety; ex- 
horts them to persevere; 10 desires 
th>ir prayers for himself and the 
chvrch at Antioch. 

MAY I therefore have joy of 
you in all things, if I shall 



Commends subjection TRALLIANS. 



to bishops, priests. 



be worthy of it. For though I 
am bound, yet I am not worthy 
to be compared to one of you 
that are at liberty. 

2 I know that ye are not 
puffed up ; for ye have Jesus 
Christ x in your hearts. 

3 And especially when I com- 
mend you, I know that ye are 
ashamed, as it is written, 2 The 
just man condemneth himself. 

4 Study therefore to be confirm- 
ed in the docurine of our Lord, 
and of his Apostles; that so what- 
ever ye do, ye may prosper both 
in body and spirit, in faith and 
charity, in the Son, and in the 
Father and in the Holy Spirit : in 
the beginning, and in the end. 

5 Together with your most 
worthy bishop, and the 'well- 
wrought spiritual crown of your 
presbytery, and your deacons, 
which are according to God. 

6 Be subject to your bishop, 
and to one another,' as Jesus 
Christ to the Father, according 
to the flesh,: and the Apostles 
both to Christ, and to the Father, 
and to the Holy Ghost : that so 
ye may 4 be united both in body 
and spirit. 



7 5 Knowing you to be full of 
God, I have the more briefly ex- 
horted you. 

8 Be mindful of me in your 
prayers, that I may 6 attain unto 
God, and of the Church that is 
in Syria, from 7 which I am not 
worthy to be called. 

9 For I stand in need of your 
joint prayers in God, and of 
your charity, that the church 
which is in Syria may be 
thought worthy to be 8 nourished 
by your church. 

10 The Ephesians 9 from 
Smyrna salute you, from which 
place I write unto you : (being 
present here to the glory of God, 
in like manner as you are,) who 
have in all things refreshed me, 
together with Polycarp, the 
bishop of the Smyrnseans. 

11 The rest of the churches 
in the honour of Jesus Christ, 
salute you. 

12 10 Farewell, and be ye 
strengthened in the concord of 
God : u enjoying his inseparable 
spirit, which is Jesus, Christ. 

T To the Magnesians. 



The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the TRALLIANS. 



CHAP. I. 

1 Acknoivledges the coming of their bi- 
shop. 5 Commends them for their 
subjection to their bishop, priests, and 
deacons ; and exhorts them to continue 
in it: 15 is afraid even of his over- 
great desire to suffer, lest it should be 
prejudicial to him. 

IGNATIUS, who is also called 
Theophorus, to the holy 
church which is at Tralles in 
Asia : beloved of God the Fa- 
ther of Jesus Christ, elect and 



worthy of God, having peace 
12 through the flesh and blood, 
and passion of Jesus Christ our 
hope, in the resurrection which 
is 13 by him : which also I salute 
in its fulness, continuing in the 
apostolical character, wishing all 
joy and happiness unto it. 

2 I have u heard of your 
blameless and 15 constant dispo- 
sition through patience, which 
16 not only appears in your out- 



1 In yourselves. 2 Prov. xviii. 17 Sept. 3 Worthily complicated. * 4 There 
m.av be a union both fleshly and spiritual. 5 Eph. iii. 4. 6 Find, enjoy. 
7 Whence. 8 Bedewed. Vid. Epist. Inter, in loc. 9 Which came to Smyrna 
upon my account. 10 ''Eopuode. n Possessing. 12 In. 13 Unto. l4 Known. 
11 Inseparable mind. 16 Which you have not according to use, but according 
to possession. 

175 



and deacons. 



TRALLIANS. 



Desires to suffer. 



ward conversation, but is natur- 
ally rooted and grounded in you. 

3 In like manner as Polybius 
your bishop has declared unto 
me, who came to me to Smyrna, 
by the will of God and Jesus 
Christ, and so rejoiced together 
with me ' in my bonds for Jesus 
Christ, that in effect I saw your 
whole 2 church in him. 

4 Having therefore received 
3 testimony of your good will to- 
wards me * for God's sake, by 
him ; 6 1 seemed to find you, as 
also I knew that ye were the 6 
followers of God. 

5 For 7 whereas ye are subject 
to your bishop as to Jesus Christ, 
ye appear to me to live not after 
the manner of men, but accord- 
ing to Jesus Christ; who died 
for us, that so believing in his 
death, ye might 8 escape death. 

6 It is therefore necessary, 
that as ye do, so without your 
bishop, you should do nothing : 
also be ye subject to your pres- 
byters, as to the Apostles of 
Jesus Christ our hope ; in whom 
if we walk, we shall be found in 
him. 

7 9 The deacons also, as being 
the ministers of the mysteries of 
Jesus Christ, must by all means 
please ye. For they are not the 
10 ministers of meat and drink, 
but of the church of God. Where- 
fore they must avoid all offences, 
as they would do fire. 

8 In like manner let us rever- 
ence the deacons u as Jesus Christ ; 
and the bishop as the father ; 
and the presbyters as the Sanhe- 



drim of God, and college of the 
Apostles. 

!) Without these there is no 
13 church. Concerning all which 
I am persuaded that ye 13 think 
after the very same manner : for 
I have received, and even now 
have with me, the pattern of 
your love, in your bishop. 

10 Whose very 14 look is in- 
structive ; and whose mildness 
1: ' powerful : 16 whom I am per- 
suaded, the very Atheists them- 
selves cannot but reverence. 

11 But because I have a love 
towards you, I will not write any 
more sharply unto you about this 
matter, though I very well might ; 
but now I have done so ; lest be- 
ing a condemned man, I should 
seem to prescribe to you as an 
Apostle. 

12 I have 1T great knowledge 
in God ; but 1 18 refrain myself, 
lest I should perish in my boast- 
ing. 

13 For now I ought the more 
to fear ; and not to hearken to 
those that would puff me up. 

14 For they that speak to me, 
in my praise, chasten me. 

15 For I indeed 19 desire to 
suffer, but I cannot tell whether 
I am worthy so to do. 

16 20 And this desire, though 
to others it does not appear, yet 
to myself it is for that very rea- 
son the more violent. I have, 
therefore, need of 21 moderation ; 
by which the prince of this 
world is destroyed. 

17 Am I not able to write to 
you of heavenly things ? — But I 



1 Who am bound. 2 Multitude. 8 Your benevolence. 4 According 
to God. 5 Vid. Vossium in loc. 'Imitators. 7 When. 8 Flee 

from. 9 Vid Vossium in loc. 10 Deacons. n As also the bishop like Jesus 
Christ the Son of the Father. Vossius in loc. vid. aliter Cotelerium. l2 A 
church is not called. 13 So do. l4 Habit of body is great instruction. 
15 Power. 16 Vid. Vossium et Usserium in loc. 17 1 understand many 

things 18 Measure, 19 Love. 20 Vid. Annot. Vossii in loc. "Mild- 
ness. 

176 



Warns against heresy. TRALLIANS. Exhorts to humility, 



fear lest I should harm you, who 
are yet but babes in Christ : (ex- 
cuse me this care ;) and lest per- 
chance being not able to receive 
them, ye should be choken with 
them. 

1 3 For even I myself, although 
I am in bonds, l yet am not there- 
fore able to understand heavenly 
things : 

19 As the places of the angels, 
and the several companies of 
them, under their respective 
princes ; things visible and in- 
visible ; but in these I am yet a 
learner. 

20 For many things are want- 
ing to us, that we come not short 
of God. 

CHAP. II. 

1 Warns them against heretics, 4 exhorts 
them to humility and unity, 10 
briefly sets before them the true doc- 
trine concerning Christ. 

I EXHORT you therefore, or 
rather not I, but the love of 
Jesus Christ; that ye use none 
but Christian nourishment; ab- 
staining from pasture which is of 
another kind, I mean heresy. 

2 2 For they that are heretics, 
confound together the doctrine 
of Jesus Christ, with their own 
poison : 3 whilst they seem worthy 
of belief : 

3 As men give a deadly potion 
mixed with sweet wine; which he 
who drinks of, does with the 
treacherous pleasure sweetly 
drink in his own death. 

4 Wherefore guard yourselves 
against such persons. And that 
you will do if you are not puffed 
up ; but continue inseparable 
from Jesus Christ our God, and 



from your bishop, and from the 
commands of the Apostles. 

5 i He that is within the altar 
is pure; but he that is without, 
that is, that does anything with- 
out the bishop, the presbyters, 
and deacons, is not pure in his 
conscience. 

6 Not that I know there is any 
thing of this nature among you ; 
but I fore-arm you, as being 
greatly beloved by me, foreseeing 
the snares of the devil. 

7 Wherefore putting on meek- 
ness, renew yourselves in faith, 
that is, the flesh of the Lord ; and 
in charity, that is, the blood of 
Jesus Christ. 

8 Let no man have any 5 
grudge against his neighbour. 
Give no occasion to the Gentiles; 
lest by means of a few foolish 
men, the whole congregation of 
God be evil spoken of. 

9 For woe to that man 6 through 
whose vanity my name is blas- 
phemed by any. 

10 Stop your ears therefore, 
as often as any one shall speak 7 
contrary to Jesus Christ ; who 
was of the race of David, of the 
Virgin Mary. 

11 Who was truly born and 
did eat and drink ; was truly per- 
secuted under Pontius Pilate ; 
was truly crucified and dead ; 
both those in heaven and on 
earth, 8 being spectators of it. 

12 Who was also truly raised 
from the dead 9 by his Father, 
after the same manner as 10 he will 
also raise up us who believe in 
him by Christ Jesus ; without 
whom we have no true life. 

13 But if, as some who are 



1 Orders. 2 Vid. de hoc loco conjecturas Vossii, Cotelerii, et Junii apud 
Usserium. Comp. Epist. Intercol. in loc. et Voss. Annot. in Epist. ad Phil, 
p. 281. 3 Being believed for their dignity. 4 Vid. Usserii Obs. Marg. Comp. 
Coteler. ib. 5 Any thing. 6 Through whom in vanity, Isaiah lii. 5. 7 With- 
out. 8 Seeing, or looking od. 9 His Father raising him. 10 The Father. 

12 177 



unity and prayer 



ROMANS. 



for the Church. 



Atheists, that is to say infidels, 
pretend, that he only seemed to 
suffer: (they themselves only 
seeming to exisl I why then am I 

hound ? — Why do 1 desire to 

light with beasts ? — Therefore do 
I die in vain: therefore I will 

not speak falsely against the 
Lord. 

14 Flee therefore these evil 
Sprouts which bring forth dead- 
ly fruit ; of which if any one 
taste, he shall presently die. 

15 For these are not the plants 
of the Father; seeingif they were, 
they would appear to be the bran- 
ches of the cross, and their fruit 
would be incorruptible ; by which 
he invites you through his pas- 
sion, who are members of him. 

16 For the head cannot be 
without its members, God having 
promised a union, that is himself. 

CHAP. III. 

He again exhorts to unity : and desires 
their prayers for himself and for his 
church at Antioch. 

I SALUTE you from Smyrna, 
2 together with the churches 
of God that are present with me ; 
who have refreshed me in all 
things, both in the flesh and in 
the spirit. 

2 My bonds, which I carry 
about me for the sake of Christ, 
(beseeching him that I may at- 
tain unto God) exhort you, that 
you continue in 3 concord among 



yourselves, and in prayer with 
one another. 

3 For it becomes every one of 
you, especially the presbyters, to 
refresh the bishop, to the honour 
of the Father of Jesus Christ 
and of the Apostles. 

4 I beseech you, that you 
hearken to me in love; that I 
may not *by those things which 
I write, rise up in witness against 
you. 

5 Pray also for me ; who 
through the mercy of God stand 
in need of your prayers, that I 
may be worthy of the portion 
which I am about to obtain that 
I be not found a reprobate. 

6 The love of those who are 
at Smyrna and Ephesus salute 
you. Remember in your prayers 
the church of Syria, from which 
I am not worthy to be called, 
being one of the least 5 of it. 

7 Fare ye well in Jesus Christ ; 
being subject to your bishop as 
to the command of God ; and so 
likewise to the presbytery. 

8 Love every one his brother 
with an 6 unfeigned heart. " My 
soul be your expiation, not only 
now, but when I shall have at- 
tained unto God ; for I am yet 
under danger. 

9 But the Father is faithful 
in Jesus Christ, to fulfil both 
mine and your petition ; in whom 
may ye be found unblamable. 

1" To the Trallians. 



The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the ROMANS. 
CHAP. I. 

his desire to see, 



TGNATIUS, 8 who is also called 
_L Theophorus, to the church 
which has obtained mercy 'from 
the majesty of the Most High 
Father, and his only 10 begotten 
Son Jesus Christ ; beloved, and 

Plants. 2 i. e. The delegates of the church. 3 The concord of you. 4 Be 
iring. 5 Them. 6 Undivided. 7 ViH. Annot. 
Vid. Pearson. Vind. Ignat. par 2, ch. xvi. p. 214 



He testifies his desire to see, and his 
hopes of suffering for Christ, 5 which 
he earnestly entreats them not to pre- 
vent, 10 but to pray for him., that 
God would strengthen him to the 
combat. 



a testimony among you, 
Vossii et Coteler. in loc 
8 In. "Omitted, Gr. 
178 



Hopes to suffer 



ROMANS. 



for Christ's sake. 



10 faces, 
to do ; 



illuminated l through the will of 
him who willeth all things which 
are according to the love of 
Jesus Christ our 2 God which 
also presides in the 3 place of 
the region of the Romans ; and 
which 4 I salute in the name of 
Jesus Christ ( 5 as being) united 
both in flesh and spirit to all his 
commands, and 6 filled with the 
grace of God ; 7 (all joy) in Jesus 
Christ our God. 

2 8 Forasmuch as I have at 
last 9 obtained through my pray- 
ers to God, to see your 
11 which I much desired 
being bound in Jesus Christ, I 
hope ere long to salute you, if it 
shall be the will 12 of God to 
grant me to attain unto the end 
I long for. 

3 For the beginning is well 
disposed, if I shall but have 
grace, without hindrance, to re- 
ceive 13 what is appointed for me. 

4 But I fear your love, lest it 
do me an injury. For it is easy 
for you to do what you please ; 
but it " will be hard for me to 
attain unto God, if you spare me. 

5 But I 15 would not that ye 
should please men, but God 
16 whom also ye do please. For 
neither shall I hereafter have 
such an opportunity 17 of going 
unto God ; nor will you if ye 
shall now be silent, ever be en- 
tituled to a better work. For if 



you shall be silent 18 in my behalf, 
I shall be made partaker of God. 

6 But if you shall love my 
19 body, I shall have my course 
again to run. Wherefore ye 
cannot do me a greater kindness, 
than to suffer me to be sacrificed 
unto God, now that the altar is 
already prepared : 

7 That 20 when ye shall be 
gathered together in love, ye 
may 21 give thanks to the Father 
through Christ Jesus ; that he 
has vouchsafed I2 to bring a 
bishop of Syria unto you, being 
called from the east unto the west. 

8 For it is good for me to set 
from the world, unto God ; that 
I may rise again unto him. 

9 Ye have never envied any 
one; ye have taught other. I 
would therefore that ye 23 should 
now do those things yourselves, 
which in your instructions you 
have 24 prescribed to others. 

10 Only pray for me, that 
God would give me both inward 
and outward strength, that I 
may not only say, but will ; nor 
be only called a Christian, but 
be found one. 

11 For if I shall be found a 
Christian, I may then deservedly 
be called one ; and be thought 
faithful, when I shall no longer 
appear to the world. 

12 Nothing is 25 good, that is 
seen. 



1 In. 2 God ; which also presides in the place of the region of the Komans, 
worthy of God ; most decent, most blessed, most praised, most worthy to ob- 
tain what it desires; most pure, most charitable, called by the name of Christ 
and the Father; Gr. 3 Type of the chorus, *. e., the church of the Bomans. 
See Vo-s. Annot. in loc. * Also. 5 The Son of the Father; to those who are 
— Gr. 6 Wholly filled. Gr. 7 (Being absolutely separated from any other 
colour; much pure, or immaculate joy.) 8 Gr. 9 Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 
10 Worthy of God. u And have received even more than I asked, being 
bound. 12 Gr. 13 Mv lot. u Is. l5 I will not please you as men. Gr. 16 As. 
17 Attaining unto. 18 From me. 19 Flesh. 20 Being become a chorus. 21 Sing. 
22 That a bishop of Syria should be found. 23 That those things also should 
be firm. 24 Commanded. Vid. Annot. Userii in loc. N. 26, 27. 25 Nothing 
that is seen is eternal : for the things which are seen are temporal, but the 
things that are not seen are eternal. Gr. 

179 



Earnestly desires 



ROMANS. 



martyrdom. 



13 For even our God, Jesus 
Christ, now that he is iu the 
Father, does so mueh the more 
appear. 

14 A Christian is not a work 
of l opinion; but of greatness of 
mind, ('especially when he is 
hated by the world.) 

CHAP. II. 

Expresses his great desire and determi- 
nation to suffer martyrdom. 

I WRITE to the churches, and 
3 signify to them all, that I 
am willing to die for God, unless 
you * hinder me. 

2 I beseech you that you 
5 shew not an unseasonable good 
will towards me. Suffer me to 
be food to the wild beasts ; by 
whom I shall attain unto God. 

3 For I am the wheat of God ; 
and I shall be ground by the 
teeth of the wild beasts, that I 
may be found the pure bread 6 of 
Christ. 

4 Rather 'encourage the beasts, 
that they may become my sepul- 
chre; and may leave nothing 
of my body; that being dead 
I may not be troublesome to any. 

5 Then shall I be truly the 
disciple of Jesus Christ, when 
the world shall not see so much 
as my body, Pray therefore 
unto Christ for me, that by these 
instruments I may be made the 
sacrifice 8 of God. 

6 I do not, as Peter and Paul, 
command you. They were Apos- 
tles, I a condemned man ; they 
were free, but I am even to this 
day a servant : 



7 But if I shall suffer, I shall 
then become the freeman of Je- 
sus Christ, and shall rise 9 free. 
And now, being in bonds, I 
learn, not to desire 10 anything. 

8 From Syria even unto Rome, 
I fight with beasts both by sea 
and land ; both night and day : 
being bound to ten leopards, that 
is to say, to such a band of sol- 
diers ; who, though treated with 
all manner of kindness, are the 
worse for it. 

9 But I am the more in- 
structed by their injuries; n yet 
am I not therefore justified. 

10 May I enjoy the wild 
beasts that are prepared for me ; 
which also I wish may 12 exercise 
all their fierceness upon me. 

11 And whom for that end I 
will 13 encourage, that they may 
be sure to devour me, and not 
serve me as they have done some, 
whom out of fear they have not 
touched. But, and if they will 
not do it willingly, I will pro- 
voke them to it. 

12 Pardon me in this matter ; 
I know what is profitable for me. 
Now I begin to u be a disciple. 
Nor 15 shall anything move me, 
wdiether visible or invisible, that 
I may attain to Jesus Christ. 

13 Let fire, and the cross ; let 
the 16 companies of wild beasts ; 
17 let breakings of bones and tear- 
ing of members ; let the 18 shat- 
tering in pieces of the whole 
body, and all the wicked 19 tor- 
ments of the devil come upon 
me; only let 20 me enjoy Jesus 
Christ. 



1 Persuasion, or silence. Gr. 2 (Desnnt, Gr.) 3 Vid. Usser. Annot. N. 31. 
4 Forbid me. 5 Be not. 6 Vid Lat. Vet. Interps. et Annot. Usser. N. 32. 
7 Flatter. 8 Desunt. Gr. 9 Free in him. Gr. 10 Any worldly or vain things. 
Gr. u lCor. iv. 4. 12 Vid. Voss. in loo. Usser. Annot. N. 48. May be 
ready for me. Gr. 13 Usser. Annot. N. 48. 14 Luke xiv. 27. ^Vid. Co- 
teler. in loc. Horn. viii. 38, 39. ,6 Force, or rage. l7 Let tearings, and rend- 
ings. Gr. ls Vid. Usser. Annot. N. 56. 19 lb. N. 57. 20 That I may enjoy. 

180 



Further desires 



ROMANS. 



to suffer. 



14 All the l ends of the world, 
and the kingdoms 2 of it, will 
profit me nothing : I would ra- 
ther die 3 for Jesus Christ, than 
rule to the utmost ends of the 
earth. i Him I seek who died 
tor us; him I desire, that rose 
again for us. This is the D gain 
that is laid up for me. 

15 Pardon me, my brethren, 
ye shall not hinder me from liv- 
ing. 6 Nor seeing I desire to go to 
God, may you separate me from 
him, for the sake of this world ; 
nor reduce me by any of the 
7 desires of it. Suffer me to 8 en- 
ter into pure light : Where being 
come, I shall be indeed the 9 ser- 
vant of 10 God. 

16 Permit me to imitate the 
passion of my God. If any one 
has him within himself, let him 
consider what I desire ; and let 
him have compassion on me, as 
knowing u how I am straighten- 
ed. 

CHAP. III. 

Farther expresses his desire to suffer. 

THE prince of this world 
would fain carry me away, 
and corrupt 12 my resolution to- 
wards my God. Let none of you 
13 therefore help u him: Rather do 
ye join with me, that is, with 
God. 

2 Do not speak with Jesus 
Christ, and yet covet the world. 
Let not any envy dwell with you ; 



No not though I myself when I 
shall be come unto you, should 
exhort you to it, yet do not ye 
hearken to me ; but rather be- 
lieve what I now write to you. 

3 For though I am alive at 
the writing this, yet my desire is 
to die. My love is crucified ; 
15 (and the 16 fire that is within 
me does not desire any water ; 
but being alive and n springing 
within me, says,) Come to the 
Father. 

4 I take no pleasure in the 
food of corruption, nor in the 
pleasures of this life. 

5 I desire the bread of God 
18 which is the flesh of Jesus 
Christ, ( 19 of the seed of David ; 
and the drink that I long for) is 
his blood, which is incorruptible 
love. 20 

6 I have no desire to live any 
longer after the manner of men, 
21 neither shall I, if you consent. 
Be ye therefore willing, that ye 
yourselves also may be 22 pleasing 
to God. 1 23 exhort you 24 in a 
few words ; I pray you believe me. 

7 Jesus Christ will shew you 
that I speak truly. My mouth 
is without deceit, and the Father 
hath truly spoken 25 by it. Pray 
therefore for me, that I may ac- 
complish what I desire. 

8 I have not written to you 
after the flesh, but according to 
the will of God. If I shall suffer, 
26 ye have loved me ; but if I 



1 Gr. Pleasures, 2 Of this age. 3 Gr. unto. * For what is a man profited if he 
shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Gr. Add. 5 Usury. Gr. Vid. 
Voss. Correct, p. 301 . 6 Nor desire that I should die, who seek to £o to God, re- 
joice not in the world. Gr. 7 By matter. 8 Take: lay hold on. 9 Man. 10 Vid. 
Annot. Voss. in loc. u What things constrain me. 12 Mind : will. 13 Who are 
present. M Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. l5 (And there is not any fire within 
me that loves matter, but living and speaking water saying within me. Gr.) 
16 Cotelerius aliter explicat. Annot in loc Usser. N. "79. "Voss. in loc. 
Contr. Coteler. q. v. 18 The heavenly bread which is. Gr. 19 (The Son of 
God made in these last times of the seed of David and Abraham, and the 
drink of God that I long for. Gr.). 20 Gr. Adds, and perpetual life. 2l And 
that shall be. 22 Willed. 23 Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc. u By a short letter. 
86 In. 26 Ye have willed it. 

181 



Commends their 



PHILADELPHIANS. 



bishop, 



shall be rejected, ' ye have bated 
me. 

9 Remember in your prayers 
the church of Syria, which now 
eujoys God for its shepherd in- 
stead of me: 2 Let Jesus Christ 
only 3 oversee it, and your char- 
ity. 

10 But I am even ashamed 
to be reckoned as one of them : 
For neither am I worthy, being 
the least among them, and as 
one 4 born out of due season. 
But through mercy I have ob- 
tained to be somebody, if I shall 
get unto God. 

11 My spirit salutes you ; and 
the charity of the churches that 
have received me in the name of 
Jesus Christ ; not as a passen- 
ger. For even they that were 
not near to me in the way, have 
gone before me to the next city 
to meet me. 



12 These things I write to 
you from Smyrna, by the most 
worthy of the church of 
Ephesus. 

13 There is now with me, to- 
gether with many others, Crocus, 
most beloved of me. As for 
those which are 6 come from Sy- 
ria, and are gone before me to 
Rome, to the glory of God, I 
suppose you are not ignorant of 
them. 

14 Ye shall therefore signify 
to them, that I draw near, for 
they are all worthy both of 
God and of you : Whom it is 
fit that you refresh in all things. 

15 This have I written to 
you, the day before the ninth of 
the calends of September. 6 Be 
strong unto the end, in the pa- 
tience of Jesus Christ. 7 

7 To the Romans. 



The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the PHILADELPHIANS. 



CHAP. I. 

Commends their bishop whom they had 
sent unto him, 5 warns them against 
divisions and schism. 

IGNATIUS, who is also called 
Theophorus, to the church 
of God the Father, and our 
Lord Jesus Christ, which is at 
Philadelphia in Asia ; which has 
obtained mercy, being fixed in 
the concord of God, and rejoic- 
ing 8 evermore in the passion of 
our Lord, and being fulfilled in 
all mercy through his resurrec- 
tion : Which also I salute in the 
blood of Jesus Christ, 9 which is 
our eternal and undefiled joy ; 
especially if they are at unity 
with the bishop, and presbyters 
who are with him, and the dea- 



cons appointed 10 according to 
the "mind of Jesus Christ ; whom 
he has settled according to his 
own will in all firmness by his 
Holy Spirit : 

2 Which bishop I know ob- 
tained 12 that great ministry 
among you, not of himself, nei- 
ther by men, nor out of vain 
glory ; but 13 by the love of God 
the Father, and our Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

3 Whose moderation " I ad- 
mire ; who by his silence is able 
to do more than 15 others with 
all their vain talk. For he is 
fitted to the commands, as the 
harp to its strings. 

4 Wherefore my soul esteems 
his mind towards God most hap- 

1 Viz. as unworthy to suffer. 2 Vid. Vet. Interp. Lat. 3 Shall oversee it. 
M Cor. xv. 8. 5 Vid- Vet. Interp. Lat. 6 That is the xxxiiid of August. 
Or. 7 Amen. Gr. 8 Inseparably- 9 Vid. Vet. Interpr. Lat. 10 In. n "Will, order. 
12 Ministry belonging to the public. 13 In. l4 Has struck me with wonder. 
15 Tho-e that speak vain things. 

182 



Exhorts to 



PHILADELPHIA^. 



union. 



py, known it to be fruitful in 
all virtue, and perfect; full of 
constancy, free from passion, 

1 and according to all the mod- 
eration of the living God. 

5 Wherefore as becomes the 
children both of the light and 
of truth ; flee divisions and 
false doctrines ; but where your 
shepherd is, there do ye, as 
sheep, follow after. 

6 For there are many wolves 

2 who seem worthy of belief, 
that with a 3 false pleasure lead 
captive those that run in the 
course of God ; but in the con- 
cord they shall find no place. 

7 Abstain therefore from 
those evil herbs which Jesus 
Christ does not dress ; because 
such are not the plantation of 
the Father. Not that I have 
found any division among you, 
but rather all manner of i purity. 

8 For as many as are of God, 
and of Jesus Christ, are also 
with their bishop. And as many 
as shall with repentance return 
into the unity of the church, 
even these shall also be the ser- 
vants of God, that they may 
live according to Jesus. 

9 Be not deceived, brethren ; 
if any one follows him that 
makes a schism in the church, 
he shall not inherit the kingdom 
of God. If any one walks after 
any other opinion, he agrees not 
with the passion of Christ. 

10 Wherefore let it be your 
endeavour to partake all of the 
same holy eucharist. 

11 For there is but one flesh 
of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and 
one cup in the unity of his 
blood ; one altar ; 

12 As also there is one bi- 



shop, together with his presby- 
tery, and the deacons my fellow- 
servants : that so whatsoever ye 
do, ye may do it according to the 
will of God. 

CHAP. II. 

Desires their prayers, and to be united 
but not to Judaize. 

MY brethren, the love I have 
towards you makes me 
the 5 more large ; and having a 
great joy in you, I endeavour to 
secure you against danger ; or 
rather not I, but Jesus Christ ; 
in whom being bound I the more 
fear, as being yet only 6 on the 
way to suffering. 

2 But your prayer to God 
shall make me perfect, that I 
may attain to that portion, which 
by God's me'rcy is allotted to 
me : Fleeing to the Gospel as to 
the flesh of Christ ; and to the 
Apostles as to the presbytery of 
the church. 

3 Let us also love the pro- 
phets, forasmuch as they also 
have 7 led us to the Gospel, and 
to hope in 8 Christ, and to expect 
him. 

4 In whom also believing they 
were saved in the unity of 
Jesus Christ ; being holy men, 
worthy to be loved, and had in 
wonder ; 

5 Who have received testi- 
mony from Jesus Christ, and are 
numbered in the Gospel of our 
common hope. 

6 But if any one shall preach 
9 the Jewish law unto you, 
hearken not unto him ; for 10 it is 
better to receive the doctrine of 
Christ from one that has been 
circumcised, than Judaism from 
one that has not. 



1 In. 2 Vid. Vossii Annot in loc 3 Evil. 4 Cleanliness made by sifting. 
5 Very much poured out. 6 Yid. Voss. in loc Imperfect. 7 Or preached of 
the Gospel ; and hoped in him, and expected him. 8 Vid. Voss. in loc. 



9 Judaism. 10 Opinion : council. 



183 



Exhorts to 



PIIILADKLPIIIANS. 



lotion. 



7 But if either the one, or 
other, do do1 speak concerning 
Christ Jesus, they seem to me to 
be but as monuments and sepul- 
chres of the dead, upon which 
are written only the names of 
men. 

8 Flee therefore the wicked 
arts and snares of the prince of 
this world ; lest at any time be- 
ing oppressed by his cunning ye 
grow ' cold in your charity. 
But come all together into the 
same place with an undivided 
heart. 

9 And I bless my God that 
I have a good conscience to- 
wards you, and that no one 
among you has whereof to 
boast either openly or private- 
ly, that I have been bur- 
thensome to him in much or 
little. 

10 And I wish to all among 
whom I have conversed, that it 
may not turn to a witness against 
them. 

11 For although some would 
have deceived me according to 
the flesh, yet the spirit, being 
from God, is not deceived ; for 
it knows both whence it comes 
and whither it goes, and reproves 
the secrets of the heart. 

12 1 cried whilst I was among 
you ; I spake with a loud voice : 
attend to the bishop, and to the 
presbytery, and to the deacons. 

13 Now some supposed that I 
spake this as foreseeing the divi- 
sion 2 that should come among 
you. 

14 But he is my witness for 
whose sake I am in bonds that I 
knew nothing from any man. 
But the spirit spake, saying on 
this wise: Do nothing without 
the bishop : 



15 Keep your ■ bodies as the 

temples of God : Love unity; 
Flee divisions; Be the followers 
of Christ, as he was of his 
Father. 

16 I therefore did as became 
me, as a man composed to unity. 
For where there is division, and 
wrath, God dwelleth not. 

17 But the Lord forgives all 
that repent, if they * return to 
the unity of God, and to the 
council of the bishop. 

18 For I trust in the grace of 
Jesus Christ 5 that he will free 
you from every bond. 

19 Nevertheless I exhort you 
that you do nothing out of strife, 
but according to the instruction 
of Christ. 

20 Because I have heard of 
some who say ; unless I find it 
written in the 6 originals, I will 
not believe it to be written in the 
Gospel. And when I said, It is 
written ; they answered what lay 
before them in their corrupted 
copies. 

21 But to me Jesus Christ is 
instead of all the uncorrupted 
monuments in the world ; to- 
gether with those 7 undefiled mon- 
uments, his cross, and death, and 
resurrection, and the faith which 
is by him ; by which I desire, 
through your prayers, to be 
justified. 

22 Tf The priests indeed are 
good ; but much better is the 
High Priest to whom the Holy 
of Holies has been committed ; 
and who alone has been en- 
trusted with the secrets of God. 

23 He is the door of the Fa- 
ther ; by which Abraham, and 

I Isaac, and Jacob, and all the 
prophets, enter in ; as well as 
[ the Apostles, and the church. 



1 Weak. 2 Of some. 3 Flesh. 4 Repent. 5 Who will loose from you. 
6 Archives, Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 7 Untouched. 
18-4 



On the person 



SMYRN.EANS. 



of Christ 



24 And all these things tend 
to the unity which is of God. 
Howbeit the Gospel has some- 
what in it far above all other 
dispensations; namely, the ap- 
pearance of our Saviour, the 
Lord Jesus Christ, his passion 
and resurrection. 

25 For the beloved prophets 
referred to him ; but the gospel 
is the perfection of incorruption. 
All therefore together are good, 
if ye believe with charity. 

CHAP. III. 

Informs them he had heard that the per- 
secution was stopped at Antioch, and 
directs them to send a messenjer hith- 
erto to congratulate with the church. 

"VTOW as concerning the 
Xi church of Antioch which is 
in Syria, seeing I am told that 
through your prayers and the 
bowels which ye have towards it 
in Jesus Christ, it is in peace ; it 
will become you, as the church 
of God, to ordain some * deacon 
to go to them thither as the am- 
bassador of God; that he may 
rejoice with them when they 
meet together, and glorify God's 
name. 

2 Blessed be that man in Jesus 
Christ, who shall be found worthy 
of such a ministry ; and ye your- 
selves also shall be glorified. 



3 Now if you be willing, it is 
not impossible for you to do this 
for the grace of God ; as also 
the other neighbouring churches 
have sent them, some bishops, 
some priests and deacons. 

4 As concerning Philo the 
deacon of Cilicia, a most worthy 
2 man, he still ministers unto me 
in the word of God : together 
with Rheus 3 of Agathopolis, a 
singular good person, who has 
followed me even from Syria, 
not regarding his life : These 
also bear witness unto you. 

5 And I myself give thanks to 
God for you that you receive them 
as the Lord shall receive you. 
But for those that dishonoured 
them, may they be forgiven 
through the grace of Jesus 
Christ. 

6 The charity of the brethren 
that are at Troas salutes you : 
from whence also I now write 
by Burrhus, who was sent to- 
gether with me by those of Ephe- 
sus and Smyrna, for respect sake. 

7 May our Lord Jesus Christ 
honour them ; in whom they hope, 
both in flesh, and soul, and spirit ; 
in faith, in love, in unity. Fare- 
well in Christ Jesus our common 
hope. 



The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the SMYRN.EANS. 



CHAP. I. 

1 Declares his joy for their firmness 
in the Gospel. 4 Enlarges on the 
person of Christ, against such as pre- 
tend that Christ did noi really suffer. 

IGNATIUS, who is also called 
Theophorus, to the church of 
God the Father, and of the be- 
loved Jesus Christ, which God 
hath mercifully * blessed with 
every good gift ; being filled with 



faith and charity, so that this is 
wanting in no gift ; most worthy 
of God, and fruitful in saints : the 
church which is at Smyrna in 
Asia ; all joy, through his im- 
maculate spirit, and the word of 
God. 

2 I glorify God, even Jesus 
Christ, who has given you such 
wisdom. 

3 For I have observed that 



1 Messenger or Minister. 2 Vid. Vossius, a martyr or confessor. Vid. An- 
not. in loc. 3 Vid. Vossius Annot. in Ep. ad. Smyrn. p. 261. See chap. iii. 
v. 11. 4 Comp. 1 Cor. vii. 25. 

185 



Exhorts against 



smvux^ans. 



heretics. 



you arc settled in an immovable 
faith, as if you were nailed to the 
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
both in the flesh and In the 
spirit ; and are confirmed in love 
through the blood of Christ ; 
being fully persuaded of those 
things which relate ' unto our 
Lord. 

4 Who truly was of the race 
of David according to the flesh, 
but the Son of God according to 
the will and power of God ; 
truly born of the Virgin, and 
baptized of John ; that so 2 all; 
righteousness might be fulfilled 
by him. 

5 Pie was also truly crucified 
by Pontius Pilate, and Herod the 
Tetrarch, being nailed for us in 
the flesh ; by the fruits of which 
we are, even by his most blessed 
passion. 

6 That he might set 3 up a 
token for all ages through his 
resurrection, to all his holy and 
faithful servants, whether they 
be Jews or Gentiles, iu one body 
of his church. 

7 Now all these things he suf- 
fered for us that we might be 
saved. And he suffered truly, 
as he also truly raised up him- 
self: And not, as some unbe- 
lievers say, that he only seemed 
to suffer, they themselves only 
seeming to be. 4 

8 And as they believe so shall 
it happen unto them ; when 
being: divested of the body they 
shall become 5 mere spirits. 

9 But I know that even after 
his resurrection he w T as in the 
flesh ; and I believed that he is 
still so. 

10 And when he came to those 
who were with Peter, 6 he said 



unto them, Take, handle me, and 
see that 1 am not an incorporeal 
daemon. And straightway tbey 
lilt and b'lieved ; being con- 
vinced b< h by his flesh and 
spirit. 

11 For this cause they de- 
spised death, and were found to 
be above 7 it. 

12 But after his resurrection 
he did eat and drink with them, 
as he was flesh ; although as to 
his Spirit he was united to the 
Father. 

CHAP. II. 

1 Exhorts them against heretics. 8 The 
danger of their doctrine. 

1VTOW these things, beloved, I 
XM 8 put you in mind of, not 
questioning but that you your- 
selves also 9 believe that they 
are so. 

2 But I arm you before-hand 
against certain beasts in the 
shape of men whom you must 
not only not receive, but if it be 
possible must not meet with. 

3 Only you must pray for 
them, that if it be the will of 
God they may repent; which 
yet will be very hard. But of 
this our Lord Jesus Christ has 
the power, who is our true life. 

4 For if all these things were 
done only in shew by our Lord, 
then do I also seem only to be 
bound. 

5 And why have I given up 
myself to death, to the fire, to 
the sw T ord, to wild beasts ! 

6 But now the nearer I am to 
the sword, the nearer I am to 
God : when I shall come among 
the wild beasts, I shall come to 
God. 

7 Only in the name of Jesus 
Christ, I undergo all, to suffer 



1 Unto the Lord. 2 Matt. iii. 15. 3 Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 4 i. e. Chris- 
tians. 5 Incorporeal and da?moniac. 6 Ex. Evang. Sec Hehr. See Dr. Grabe 
Spicileg. torn. ii. p. 26. 7 Death. 8 Admonish. 9 Have so. 

186 



Danger of heresy. 



SMYRKEANS. 



On duty 



together with him ; he who was 
made a perfect man strengthen- 
ing me. 

8 Whom some not knowing, 
do deny; or rather have been 
denied by him, being the advo- 
cates of death, rather than of 
the truth. Whom neither the 
prophecies, nor the law of Moses 
have persuaded ; nor the Gospel 
itself even to this day, nor the 
sufferings of every one of us. 

9 For they think also the 
same things of us. For what 
does a man profit me, if he shall 
praise me, and blaspheme my 
Lord : not confessing that he 
1 was truly made man ? 

10 Now he that doth not say 
this, does in effect deny him, and 
is in death. But for the names 
of such as do this, they being 
unbelievers, I thought it not fit- 
ting to write them unto you. 

11 Yea, God forbid that I 
should make any mention of 
them, till they shall repent to a 
true belief of Christ's passion, 
which is our resurrection. 

12 Let no man deceive him- 
self; both the things which are 
in heaven and the glorious an- 
gels, and princes, whether visible 
or invisible, if they believe not 
in the blood of Christ, 2 it shall 
be to them to condemnation. 

13 3 He that is able to receive 
this, let him receive it. Let no 
man's 4 place or state in the 
world puff him up : that which is 
worth all his faith and charity, to 
which nothing is to be preferred. 

14 But consider those who are 
of a different opinion from us, as 
to what concerns the grace of 
Jesus Christ which is come unto 
us, how contrary they are to the 
design of God. 



15 They have no regard to 
charity, no care of the widow, 
the fatherless, and the oppressed ; 
of the bond or free, of the hun- 
gry or thirsty. 

16 They abstain from the eu- 
charist, and from 5 the public 
offices ; because they confess not 
the eucharist to be the flesh of 
our Saviour Jesus Christ ; which 
suffered for our sins, and which 
the Father of his goodness, raised 
again from the dead. 

1 7 And for this cause contra- 
dicting the gift of God, they die 
in their disputes : 6 but much 
better would it be for them to 
T receive it, that they might one 
day rise through it. 

18 It will therefore become 
you to abstain from such persons ; 
and not to speak with them nei- 
ther in private nor in public. 

19 But to hearken to the pro- 
phets, and especially to the Gos- 
pel, in which both Christ's pas- 
sion is manifested unto us, and his 
resurrection perfectly declared. 

20 But flee all divisions, as 
the beginning of evils. 

CHAP. III. 

1 Exhorts them to follow their bishop 
and pastors ; but especially their 
bishop. 6 Thanks them, for their 
kindness, 11 and acquaints them with 
the ceasing of the persecution at An- 
tioch. 

SEE that ye all follow your 
bishop, as Jesus Christ, the 
Father ; and the presbytery, as 
the Apostles. And reverence the 
deacons, as the command of God. 

2 Let no man do anything of 
what belongs to the church sepa- 
rately from the bishop. 

3 Let that eucharist be looked 
upon as well established, which 
is either offered by the bishop, 



1 Had true flesh. 2 It is. 3 Matt. xix. 12. * Vid. Epist. Interpol. 5 Vid. 
Annot. Coteler. in loc. Or, Prayers. 6 Vid. Coteler. Annot. 7 Love. 

187 



1t> (he bishop 



SMYRKEANS. 



and pastor 8. 



or by him to whom the bishop 
has given his consent. 

4 Wheresoever the bishop 

shall appear, there let the l peo- 
ple also be: as where Jesus ( Shrist 

is, there is the Catholic church. 

5 It is not lawful without the 
bishop, neither to baptize, nor 
Ho celebrate the Holy Commu- 
nion; but whatsoever he shall 
approve of, that is also pleasing 
unto God ; that so whatever is 
done, may be sure and well done. 

6 For what remains, it is very 
reasonable that we should 're- 
pent whilst there is yet time to 
return unto God. 

7 It is a good thing to have a 
due regard both to God, and to 
the bishop : he that honours the 
bishop, shall be honoured of God. 
But he that does anything with- 
out his knowledge, * ministers 
unto the devil. 

8 Let all things therefore 
abound to you in charity ; seeing 
that ye are worthy. 

9 Ye have refreshed me in all 
things ; so shall Jesus Christ you. 
Ye have loved me both when I 
was present with you, and now 
being absent, ye cease not to do 
so. 

10 May God be your reward, 
from whom whilst ye undergo 
all things, ye shall attain unto 
him. 

11 Ye have done well in that 
ye have received Philo, and 
tlheus 5 Agathopus, who followed 
me 6 for the word of God, as the 
deacons of Christ our God. 

12 Who also gave thanks unto 
the Lord for you, forasmuch as 
ye have refreshed them in all 
7 things. 8 Nor shall any thing 
that you have done be lost to you. 



13 My 'soul be for yours, and 
my bonds which ye have not de- 
spised, nor been ashamed of. 
Wherefore neither shall Jesus 
Christ, our perfect faith, be 
ashamed of you. 

14 Your prayer is come to the 
church of Antioch which is in 
Syria. From whence being sent 
bound with chains becoming God, 
I salute the "churches ; being not 
worthy to be called " from thence, 
as being the least among them. 

15 Nevertheless by the will of 
Gcd I have been thought worthy 
of this honour ; not for that I 
think I have deserved it, but by 
the grace of God. 

16* Which I wish may be per- 
fectly given unto me, that 
through your prayers I may 
attain unto God. 

17 And therefore that your 
work may be fully accomplished 
both upon earth and in heaven ; 
it will be fitting, and for the ho- 
nour of Gcd, u that your church 
appoint some worthy delegate, 
who being come as far as Syria, 
may rejoice together with them 
that they are in peace ; and that 
they are again restored to their 
former 13 state, and have again re- 
ceived their proper body. 

18 Wherefore I should think 
it a worthy action, to send some 
one from you with an epistle, to 
congratulate with them their 
peace in God ; and that through 
your prayers they have now got- 
ten to their harbor. 

19 For inasmuch as ye are 
perfect yourselves, you ought to 
think those things that are per- 
fect. For when you are desirous 
to do well, God is ready to w en- 
able you thereunto. 



1 Multitude. 

worship. 5 Yitl. 



2 Make a love-feast. 3 Return to a sound mind. 4 Does 
Voss. Annot. in loc. 6 Unto. 7 Ways. 8 Vid. Epist. Interpol. 
9 Spirit. l0 All the. n i. e. the bishop of that church. u Vid. Voss. Annot. 
in loc. M Bulk, greatness. l4 Help you. 
188 



Igjiatius exhorts 



POLYCARP. 



Polycarp 



20 The love of the brethren 
that arc at Troas salute you; 
from whence I write to you by 
Burrhus wham you sent with me, 
together with the Ephesians your 
brethren ; and who has in all 
things refreshed me. 

21 And I would to God that 
all would imitate him, as being 
a pattern of the ministry of God. 
May his grace fully reward him. 

22 I salute your very worthy 
bishop, and your venerable pres- 
bytery ; and your deacons, my 
fellow-servants ; and all of you in 
general, and every one in partic- 
ular, in the name of Jesus Christ, 
and in his flesh and blood ; in 
his passion and resurrection both 
fbshly and spiritually ; and in 
1 the unity of God with you. 



23 Grace be with you, and 
mercy, and peace, and patience, 
for evermore. 

24 I salute the families of my 
brethren, with their wives and 
children ; and the 2 virgins that 
are called widows. Be strong in 
the power of the Holy Ghost. 
Philo, who is present with me 
salutes you. 

25 I salute the house of Tavias, 
and pray that it may be strength- 
ened in faith and charity, both of 
flesh and spirit. 

26 I salute Alee my well-be- 
loved, 3 together with the incom- 
parable Daphnus, and Eutech- 
nus, and all by name. 

27 Farewell in the grace of 
God. 

If To the Smymceans from Troas. 



The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to POLYCARP. 



CHAP. I. 

Blesses God for the firm establishment of 
Polyoarp in the faith, and gives him 
particular directions for improving it. 

IGNATIUS, who is also called 
Theophorus, to Polycarp, bi- 
shop of the church * which is at 
Smyrna ; their overseer, but 
rather himself overlooked by 
God the Father, and the Lord 
Jesus Christ : all happiness. 

2 Having known that thy 
mind towards God, is fixed as it 
were upon an immovable rock ; 
I exceedingly giye thanks, that 
I have been thought worthy to 
beheld thy 5 blessed face, in which 
may I always rejoice in God. 

3 Wherefore I beseech thee by 
the grace of God with which thou 
art clothed, to press forward in 
thy course, and to exhort all 
others that they may be saved. 



4 Maintain thy place with all 
care 6 both of flesh and spirit : 
Make it thy endeavour to pre- 
serve unity, than which nothing 
is better. Bear with all men, 
even as the Lord with thee. 

5 Support all in love, as also 
thou dost. 7 Pray without ceas- 
ing : ask more understanding 
than what thou already hast. 
Be watchful, having thy spirit 
always awake. 

6 Speak to every one 8 accord- 
ing as God shall enable thee. 
Bear the 9 infirmities of all, as a 
perfect combatant ; where the 
labour is great, the gain 10 is the 
more. 

7 If thou shalt love the good 
disciples, what thank is it ? But 
rather do thou subject to thee 
those that are mischievous, in 
meekness. 



1 Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 2 i. e. The deaconessses. See the reason for 
the name, Voss. Annot. in loc. Add. Coteler. ib. 3 See Voss. Annot. ex Epist. 
Interpol. 4 of the Smyrnseans. 5 Innocent. 6 Vid. 1 Cor. vii. 34. 7 Be at 
leisure to, etc. 8 Vid. Voss. in loc. aliter Vet. Lat. Interpr. 9 The diseases. 
10 Is much. 

189 



y 



to improve 



POLYCARP. 



his faith. 



remedies: b 
as a serpent 



8 Every wound i< not healed 
with the Bame plaster : if the 
accessions of the disease be vehe- 
ment, modify them with ^oft 

In all things ' wise 

jut harmless as a 

dove, 

9 For this cause thou art com- 
posed of flesh and spirit; that 
thou mayest modify those things 
that appear before thy face. 

10 And as for those that are 
not seen, pray to God that he 
would reveal them unto thee, that 
so thou mayest be wanting in 
nothing, but mayest abound in 
every gift. 

11 The times demand thee, as 
the pilots the winds ; and he that 
is tossed in a tempest, the haven 
where he would be ; that thou 
mayst attain unto God. 

12 Be sober as the combatant 
of God : the 3 crown proposed to 
thee is immortality, and eternal 
life ; concerning which thou art 
also fully persuaded. I will be 
thy surety in all things, and my 
bonds, which thou hast loved. 

13 Let not those that seem 
worthy of credit, but teach other 
doctrines, * disturb thee. Stand 
firm and immovable, as an anvil 
when it is beaten upon. 

14 It is the part of a brave 
combatant to be 5 wounded, and 
yet overcome. But especially 
we ought to endure all things 
for God's sake, that he may bear 
with us. 

15 Be every day 6 better than 
other : consider the times ; and 
expect him, who is above all 
time, eternal, invisible, though 
for our sakes made visible : im- 
palpable, and impassable, yet for 



us subjected to sufferings ; en- 
during all manner of ways foi 
our salvation. 

CHAP. II. 

1 Continues his advice, 6 and teaches 
lit in how to advise others. 12 En- 
forces unity and subjection to the 
bishop. 

LET not the widows be neg- 
lected : be thou after God, 
their guardian. 

2 Let nothing be done without 
thy knowledge and consent; nei- 
ther do thou anything but ac- 
cording to the will of God ; as 
also thou dost, 7 with all con- 
stancy. 

3 Let your assemblies be more 
full : inquire into all by name. 

4 Overlook not the men and 
maid servants ; neither let them 
be puffed up : but rather let 
them be the more subject to the 
glory of God, that they may ob- 
tain from him a better liberty. 

5 Let them not desire to 8 be 
set free at the public cost, that 
they be not slaves to their own 
lusts. 

6 Flee evil 9 arts ; or rather, 
make not any mention of them. 

7 Say to my sisters, that they 
love the Lord ; and be satisfied 
with their own husbands, both 
in the flesh and spirit. 

8 In like manner, exhort my 
brethren, in the name of Jesus 
Christ, that they love their wives, 
even as the Lord the Church. 

9 If any man can remain in 
a virgin state, 10 to the honour of 
the flesh of Christ, let him re- 
main without boasting ; but if 
he boast, he is undone. And if 
he desire to be more taken notice 



1 Supervisions. 2 Matt. x. 16. 3 Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc Collat. cum Oo 
teler. ib. 4 Amaze thee. 5 Beaten. 6 More studious, diligent. 7 being well 
settled. 8 Vid. Annot. Coteler. in loc 9 Or, trades. 10 Vid. Annot. Vossii 
et Coteler. in loc. 

190 



Desires to greet 



POLYCARP. 



the churches. 



of than the bishop he is cor- 
rupted. 

10 But it becomes all such as 
are married, whether men or wo- 
men to come together with the 
consent of the bishop, that so 
their marriage may be according 
to godliness, and not in lust. 

11 Let all things be done to 
the honour of God. 

12 l Hearken unto the bishop, 
that God also may hearken unto 
you. My soul be security for 
them that submit to their bishop, 
with their presbyters and dea- 
cons. And may my portion be 
together with theirs in God. 

13 Labour with one another ; 
contend together, run together, 
suffer together ; sleep together, 
and rise together ; as the stew- 
ards, and assessors, and ministers 
of God. 

14 Please him under whom ye 
war, and from whom ye receive 
your wages. Let none of you be 
found a deserter ; but let your 
baptism remain, as your arms ; 
your faith, as your helmet ; your 
charity, as your spear ; your pa- 
tience, as your whole armour. 

15 Let your works be your 
2 charge, that so you may re- 
ceive a suitable reward. Be long- 
suffering therefore towards each 
other in meekness : as God is to- 
wards you. 

16 Let me have joy of you in 
all things. 

CHAP. III. 

1 Greets Polycarp on the peace of the 
church at Antioeh : 2 and desires him 
to write to that and other churches. 

"VTO W forasmuch as the church 
1M of Antioeh in Syria, is, 3 as 



I am told ; in peace through your 
prayers ; I also have been the 
more comforted 4 and without 
care in God ; if so be that by suf- 
fering, I shall attain unto God ; 
that through your prayers I may 
be found a disciple of Christ. 

2 It will be very fit, O most 
worthy Polycarp, to call a 5 select 
council, and choose some one 
whom ye particularly love, and 
who is patient of labour; that 
he may be the messenger of God ; 
and that going unto Syria, he 
may glorify your incessant love, 
to the praise of Christ. 

3 A Christian has not the 
power of himself: but must be 
always at leisure for God's ser- 
vice. Now this work is both 
God's and your's : when ye shall 
have perfected it. 

4 For I trust through the 
grace of God that ye are ready 
to every good work that is fitting 
for you in the Lord. 

5 Knowing therefore your 
earnest affection for the truth, I 
have exhorted you by 6 these 
short letters. 

6 But forasmuch as I have 
not been able to write to all the 
churches, because I must sud- 
denly sail from Troas to Nea- 
polis ; (for so is the command of 
those to whose pleasure I am 
subject ;) do you write to the 
churches that are near you, as 
being instructed in the will of 
God, that they also may do in 
like manner. 

7 Let those that are able send 
7 messengers ; and let the rest 
send their letters by those who 
shall be sent by you : that you 



1 Observe, from the foregoing verses, that Ignatius here speaks not to Poly- 
carp, but through him to the Church of Smyrna. 2 That which is committed 
to your custody, to keep secure. 3 It has been manifested unto me. 4 In the 
security of God. 5 Most becoming God. 6 Viz. To the Smyrneeans, and this 
to himself. See Pearson in lor. 7 Footmen. 

191 



Commends them 



PHILIPPIANS. 



for their ft it h. 



may be glorified 'to all eternity, 
of which you are worthy. 

8 1 salute all by name, partic- 
ularly the wife of Epitropus, 
with all her house and children 

1 salute Attalus my well-beloved. 

9 I salute him who shall be 
thought worthy to be sent by 
you into Syria. Let grace be 



ever with him, "and with Poly- 
carp who Bends him. 

10 I wish you all happiness 
in our God, Jesus Christ ; iu 
whom continue, in the unity and 
protection of God. 

Ill salute Alee my well-be- 
loved. Farewell in the Lord. 
f To Polycarp. 



The EPISTLE of POLYCARP to the PHILIPPIANS. 

[The genuineness of this Epistle is controvei ted, but implicitly believed by 
Archbishop Wake, whose translation is below. There is also a trans- 
lation by Dr. Cave, attached to his life of Polycarp.] 



CHAP. I. 

Commends the Philippians for their re- 
spect to those who suffered for the Gos- 
pel ; and for their own faith. 

POLYCARP, and the presby- 
ters that are with him, to 



rejoice with joy unspeakable and 
full of glory. 

5 Into which many desire to 
enter ; 7 knowing that by grace 
ye are saved ; not by works, but 
by the will of God through 



the church of God which 3 is at Jesus Christ. 
Philippi : mercy unto you and | 6 8 Wherefore girding up the 
peace from God Almighty ; and j loins of your minds ; 9 serve the 
the Lord Jesus Christ, our Sa- Lord with fear, and in truth : 
viour, be multiplied. | laying aside all empty and vain 

2 I rejoiced greatly with you i speech, and the error of many ; 
in our Lord Jesus Christ, that 10 believing in him that raised up 



ye received the images of a true 
love, and accompanied, as it is 
behooved you, those who were in 
bonds, becoming saints ; which 
are the crowns of such as are 
truly chosen by God and our 
Lord : 

3 As also that the *root of 
the faith which was preached 



our Lord Jesus Christ from the 
dead, and hath given him glory 
and a throne at his right hand. 

7 To whom all things are 
made subject, " both that are in 
heaven, and that are in earth ; 
whom every u living creature 
shall worship ; who shall come 
to be the judge of the quick and 



from ancient times, remains firm j dead : whosf blood God shall re' 



in you to this day ; and brings 
forth fruit to our Lord Jesus 
Christ, who suffered himself to 
be brought even to the death 
for our sins. 

4 5 Whom God hath raised 
up, having loosed the pains of 
death, 6 whom having not seen, 
ye love; in whom though now 
ye see him not, yet believing ye 



quire of them that believe in 
him. 

8 But he that raised up 
13 Christ from the dead, shall 
also raise up us in like manner, 
if we do his will and walk u ac- 
cording to his commandments; 
and love those things which he 
loved : 

9 Abstaining from all 15 un- 

1 Vid. Voss. in loc in the Eternal work. 2 Ex. Vet. Interp. Vid. Voss. Annot. 
3 Sojourneth. 4 Firm root remains in you. 5 Acts xi. 24. 6 1 Pet. i. 8. 
»Eph.ii. 8. 8 lPet. i. 13. 9 Psalm ii. 11. 10 1 Pet. i. 21. u Phil. ii. 10. 
12 Breath. 13 Him. u In. 15 Injustice. 
192 



> 3 





Exhorts to 



PHILIPPIANS. 



social and other 



righteousness ; ! inordinate af- 
fection, and love of money ; 
from evil speaking; false wit- 
ness ; not rendering evil for evil, 
or railing for railing, or striking 
for striking, or cursing for curs- 
ing. 

10 But remembering what 
the Lord has 2 taught us saying, 
Judge not, and ye shall not be 
judged; forgive and ye shall be 
forgiven ; be ye merciful, and 
ye shall obtain mercy ; for with 
the same measure that ye mete 
withal, it shall be measured to 
you again. 

11 And again, that 3 blessed 
are the poor, and they that are 
persecuted for righteousness' 
sake ; for theirs is the kingdom 
of God. 

CHAP. II. 

2 Exhorts to Faith, Hope, and Charity. 
5 Against covetousness, and as to the 
duties of husbands, wives, widows, 6 
deacons, young men, virgins, and 
presbyters. 

THESE things, my brethren, 
I took not the liberty of 
myself to write unto you con- 
cerning righteousness, but you 
yourselves before encouraged me 
to it. 

2 For neither can I, nor any 
other such as I am, come up to 
the wisdom of the blessed and 
renowned Paul : who being him- 
self in person with those who 
then lived, did with all ex- 
actness and soundness teach 
the word i of truth ; and being 
gone from you wrote an 5 epistle 
to you. 

3 Into which if you look, you 
will be able to edify yourselves 
in the faith that has been deliv- 



ered unto you ; which is the 
mother of us all ; being followed 
with hope, and led on by a gen- 
eral love, both towards God and 
towards Christ, and towards our 
neighbour. 

4 For if any man 6 has these 
things he has fulfilled the law of 
righteousness : for he that has 
charity is far from all sin. 

5 But the love of money is 
the 7 root of all evil. Knowing 
therefore that as we brought 
nothing into this world, so nei- 
ther may we carry any thing 
out ; let us 8 arm ourselves with 
the armour of righteousness. 

6 And teach ourselves first to 
walk according to the command- 
ments of the Lord ; and then 
your wives to walk likewise 9 ac- 
cording to the iaith that is given 
to them; in 10 charity, and in 
purity ; loving their own hus- 
bands with all "sincerity, and all 
others alike with all temper- 
ance ; and to bring up their 
children in the instruction 12 and 
fear of the Lord. 

7 The widows likewise teach 
that they be sober as to what 
concerns the faith of the Lord : 
praying always for all men ; 
being far from all detraction, 
evil speaking, false witness; from 
covetousness, and from all evil. 

8 Knowing that they are the 
altars of God, 13 who sees all ble- 
mishes, and from whom nothing 
is hid ; who searches out the 
very reasonings, and thoughts, 
and secrets of our hearts. 

9 Tf Knowing therefore that 
God is not mocked, we ought to 
walk worthy both of his com- 
mand and of his glory. 



1 Eph. iv. 19. Coloss. iii. 5. 1 Pet. iii. 9. 2 Said to us, teaching, Luke vi. 
37. Matt. vii. 1. 3 Matt. v. 3, 10. Luke vi. 20. 4 rrept a/iEdeiae, concerning 
Truth. 5 Epistles. Vid. Annot. Coteler. in loc 6 Be within. 7 Beginning 
of all troubles, or difficulties, x a ^ eTrcj v, 1 Tim. vi. 7. 8 Be armed. 9 In. 10 Love. 
11 Truth. 12 Of the. 13 And that he. 

13 193. 



Christian duties. 



PHILIPPIANS. 



On faith. 



10 Also the deacons must be 
blameless before ' him, as the 
ministers of God in Christ, and 
not of men. Not false accusers ; 

not double tongued ; not lovers 
of money ; but 2 moderate in all 
things ; compassionate, careful ; 
walking according to the truth 
of the Lord, who was the ser- 
vant of all. 

11 Whom if we please in this 
present world we shall also be 
made partakers of that which is 
to come, according as he has pro- 
mised to us, that he will raise us 
from the dead ; and that if we 
shall walk worthy of him, we 
shall also reign together with 
him, if we believe. 

12 In like manner the young- 
er men must be unblameable in 
all things; above all, taking 
care of their purity, and to 
restrain themselves from all 
evil. For it is good to be cut 
off from the lusts that are 
in the world ; because every 
such ' lust warreth against the 
spirit: * and neither fornicators, 
nor effeminate, nor abusers of 
themselves with mankind, shall 
inherit the kingdom of God ; 
nor they who do such things as 
are foolish and unreasonable. 

13 Wherefore ye must needs 
abstain from all these things, be- 
ing subject to the 5 priests and 
deacons, as unto God and Christ. 

14 The virgins admonish to 
w r alk in a spotless and pure con- 
science. 

15 And let the 6 elders be com- 
passionate and merciful towards 
all ; 7 turning them from their 
errors ; seeking out those that are 
weak ; not forgetting the widows, 
the fatherless, and the poor ; but 



always 8 providing what is good 
both in the sight of God and man. 
10 Abstaining from all wrath, 
respect of persons, and unright- 
eous judgment : and especially 
being free from all covetousness. 

17 Not "easy to believe any 
thing against any ; not severe in 
judgment; knowing that we are 
all debtors in point of sin. 

18 If therefore we pray to the 
Lord that he would forgive us, 
we ought also to forgive others ; 
for we are all in the sight of our 
Lord and God ; 10 and must all 
stand before the judgment seat 
of Christ ; and shall every one 
give an account " of himself. 

19 Let us therefore serve him 
in fear, and with all reverence as 
both himself hath commanded ; 
and as the Apostles who have 
preached the Gospel unto us, and 
the prophets who have foretold 
the coming of our Lord have 
taught us. 

20 Being zealous of what is 
good ; abstaining from all of- 
fence, and from false brethren ; 
and from those who bear the 
name of Christ in hypocrisy ; 
who deceive vain men. 

CHAP. III. 

1 As to faith in our Saviour Christ : his 
nature and sufferings, the resurrection 
and judgment. 3 Exhorts to prayer 
5 and steadfastness in the faith, from 
the examples of ChriM, 7 and. Apostles 
and saints, and exhorts to carefulness 
in ail well-doing. 

FOR 12 whosoever does not 
confess that Jesus Christ is 
come in the flesh, he is Anti- 
christ: and whoever does not 
confess 13 his suffering upon the 
cross, is from the devil. 

2 And whosoever perverts the 
oracles of the Lord to his own lusts; 



1 His righteousness. 2 Continent. 3 Pet. ii. 11. 4 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 5 Elders. 
6 Presbyters. 7 Ezek. xxxiv. 4. 8 Kom. xii. 17. 9 Swiftly believing. 10 Matt. 
xii.14 ;" Rom. xiv. 10 ; 2 Cor. v. 10. u For. 12 1 John iv. 3. 13 The mar- 
tyrdom of the cross. 

194 



On well doing. 



PHILIPPIANS. 



Exhorts against 



and says that there shall neither i sent world; but him who died, and 
be any resurrection, nor judg- was raised again by God for us. 
ment, he is the first-born of Satan. 10 Stand therefore in these 
3 Wherefore leaving the vani- 1 things, and follow the example of 
ty of many, and their false doc- the Lord; being firm and immuta- 
trines ; let us return to the word I ble in the faith, lovers of the bro- 
that was delivered to us from therhood, lovers of one another: 



the beginning ; 1 Watching unto 
prayer; and persevering in fast- 

4 With supplication beseeching 



7 companions together in the truth, 

8 being kind and gentle towards 
each other, despising none. 

11 When it is in your power 



the all seeing God 2 not to lead i to do good, defer it not, foi char- 



us into temptation ; as the Lord 
hath said, 3 The spirit is truly 
willing, but the flesh is weak. 

5 Let us therefore without 
ceasing hold steadfastly to him 
who is our hope, and the earnest 
of our righteousness, even Jesus 
Christ ; 4 Who his own self bare 
our sins in his own body on the 
tree : who did no sin, neither 
was guile found in his mouth. 
But suffered all for us that we 
might live 5 through him. 

6 Let us therefore imitate his 
patience ; and if we suffer for his 
name, let us glorify him ; for this 
example he has given us by him- 
self, and so have we believed. 

7 Wherefore I exhort all of 
you that ye obey the word of 
righteousness, and exercise all pa- 
tience; which ye have seen set forth 
before our eyes, not only in the 
blessed Ignatius, and Zozimus, 
and Rufus; but in others among 
yourselves ; and in Paul himself, 
and the rest of the Apostles : 

8 Being 6 confident of this, 
that all these have not run in 
vain ; but in faith and righteous- 
ness, and are gone to the place that 
was due to them from the Lord ; 
with whom they also suffered. 

9 For they loved not this pre- 



ity delivered from death. 

12 Be all of you subject one 
to another, 9 having your .con- 
versation ao honest among the 
Gentiles ; that by your good 
works, both ye yourselves may 
receive praise, and the Lord may 
not u be blasphemed through you. 
But wo be to him by whom the 
name of the Lord is blasphemed. 

13 Therefore teach all men 
sobriety ; in which do ye also 
exercise yourselves. 

CHAP. IV. 

Valens, a presbyter, having fallen into 
the sin of covetousness, he exhorts them 
against it 

I AM greatly afflicted for Va- 
lens, who was once a presby- 
ter among you ; that he should 
so little understand the place 
that was given to him in the 
church. Wherefore I admonish 
you that ye abstain from 12 cove- 
tousness; and that ye be chaste, 
and true of speech. 

2 13 Keep yourselves from all evil. 
For he that in these things cannot 
govern himself how shall he be 
able to prescribe them to another? 

3 If a man does not keep him- 
self from u covetousness, he shall 
be polluted with idolatry and be 
judged as if he were a Gentile. 



1 1 Pe;. vi. 7. 2 Matt. vi. 13. 3 Matt. xxvi. 41. 4 1 Pet. ii. 22, 24. 5 In. 1 
Pet. iii 14, &c. 6 Persuaded. 7 Associated in truth. 8 Yielding to each other 
in the nildness of the Lord. Tobit, xii. 9. 9 1 Pet. ii. 12. l0 Unreprovable. 
11 Eon. ii. 24. Titus, ii. 5. n Concupiscence ; or, immoderate and filth v lusts. 
So Dr Hammond on Rom. i. 29. 13 1 Thes v. 22. 
14 As before, Dr. Hammond on 1 Cor. v. 10. 



Eph. v. 5 ; Coloss. ii. 5. 

195 



the sill of 



PHILTPPIANS. 



covetoi 



4 But who of you arc ignorant believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, 
of the judgment of God? £ Dowe and in his Father* who raised 
not know that the saints shall him from the dead. 

judge the world, as Paul teaches? 12 Pray for all the saints: 

5 But I have neither per- pray also for kings, and 5 all that 
ceived nor heard any thing of are in authority ; and for those 



this kind in you, among whom 
the blessed ' Paul laboured ; 
and who are named in the be- 
ginning of his Epistle. 

6 For he glories of you in all 
the churches who then only knew 
God ; for we did not then know 
him. Wherefore, my brethren, 
I am exceedingly sorry both for 
him, and for his wife; to whom 
God grant a true repentance. 

7 And be ye also moderate 
upon this occasion ; and look not 
upon such as enemies, but call 
them back as suffering, and err- 
ing members, that ye may save 
your whole body: for by so doing, 
ye shall edify your own selves. 

8 For I trust that ye are well 
exercised in the Holy Scriptures, 
and that nothing is hid from you ; 
but at present it is not granted 
unto me to practice that which is 
8 written, Be angry and sin not ; 
and again, Let not the sun go 
down upon your wrath. 

9 Blessed be he that believeth 
and remembereth these things ; 
which also I trust you do. 

10 Now the God and Father 
of our L>rd Jesus Christ; and 
he himself who is our everlasting 
high-priest, the Son of God, even 
Jesus Christ, build you up in 
faith and in truth and in all 
meekness and lenity; in patience 
and long-suffering, in forbearance 
and chastity. 

11 And grant unto you a lot 
and portion among his saints ; 
and us with you, and to all that 
are under the heavens, who shall 

1 1 Cor. vi. 2. 2 Phil. 1. 8 Said in these Scriptures. Psalm iv. 5. Eph. iv. 
26. *Gral. 1, ITim. ii. 1, 2. 5 Powers and princes. 6 Him. 7 See Amnot. 
Us-^er. in loc. 8 i. e. To himself, and to the church of Smyrna. 9 Ou r Lord. 
10 His grace be with you all. Amen. 
1.96 



who persecute you-, and hate you, 
and tor the enemies of the cross ; 
that your fruit may be manifest 
in all; and that ye may be per- 
fect in 6 Christ. 

13 7 Ye wrote to me, both ye, 
and also Ignatius, that if any one 
went from hence into Syria, he 
should bring your letters with 
him ; which also I will take care 
of, as soon as I shall have a con- 
venient opportunity; either by 
myself, or him whom I shall send 
upon your account. 

14 The Epistles of Ignatius 
which he wrote 8 unto us, together 
with what others of his have come 
to our hands, we have sent to you, 
according to your order; which 
are subjoined to this epistle. 

15 By which we may be greatly 
profited ; for they treat of faith 
and patience, and of all things 
that pertain to edification in 9 the 
Lord Jesus. 

16 If What you know certainly 
of Ignatius, and those that are 
with him signify to us. 

17 If These things have I writ- 
ten unto you by Crescens, whom 
by this present epistle I have re- 
commended to you, and do now 
again commend. 

18 For he has had his conver- 
sation without blame among us ; 
and I suppose also with you. 

19 Ye will also have regard 
unto his sister when she shall 
come unto you. 

20 Be ye safe in the Lord 
Jesus Christ ; 10 and in favour 
with all yours. Amen. 



THE SHEPHERD OF HERMAS. 



[This book is thus entitled, because it was composed by Hennas, brother to 
Pius, bishop of Koine ; and because the Angel, who bears the principal 
part in it, is represented in the form and habit of a shepherd. lrtnseus 
quotes it under the very name of Scripture. Origen thought it a most use- 
ful writing and that it was divinely inspired ; Eusebius says, that, though 
it was not esteemed canonical, it was read publicly in the churches, which 
is corroborated by Jerome ; and Athanasius cites it, calls it a most useful 
work, and oLserves, that though it was not strictly canonical, the Fathers 
appointed it to be read for direction and confirmation in faith and piety. 
Jerome, notwithstanding this, and that he applauded it in his catalogue of 
writers, in his comments upon it afterwards, terms it apocryphal and foolish. 
Tertullian praised it when a Catholic, and abused it when a Montanist. 
Although Gelasius ranks it among the apocryphal books, it is found at- 
tached to some of the most ancient MS. of the New Testament; and Arch- 
bishop Wake, believing it the genuine work of an apostolic Father, pre- 
serves it to the English reader by the following translation, in which he has 
rendered the books not only more exact, but in greater purity than they 
had before appeared. The Archbishop procured Dr. Grabe to entirely col- 
late the old Latin version with an ancient MS. in the Lambeth library ; and 
the learned prelate himself still further improved the whole from a multi- 
tude of fragments of the original Greek never before used for that purpose."] 

The First Book of HERMAS, which is called his VISIONS. 



VISION I. 

1 Against filthy and proud thoughts, 
20 also the neglect of Hernias in 
chastising his children. 

HE who had bred me up sold 
a certain young maid at 
Rome; whom when I saw many 
years after, I remembered her, 
and began to love her as a sister. 
It happened some time after- 
wards, that I saw her washing in 
the river Tyber ; and I reached 
out my hand unto her, and 
brought her out of the river. 

2 And when I saw her I 
thought with myself, saying, 
How happy should I be if I had 
such a wife, both for beauty and 
manners. This I thought with 
myself; nor did I think any 
more. But not long after, as I 
was walking and musing on these 
thoughts, I began to honour this 
creature of God, thinking with 
myself; how noble and beautiful 
she was. 

3 And when I had walked a 
little, I fell asleep. And the 
spirit caught me away, and 



carried me through a certain 
place toward the right-hand, 
through which no man could 
pass. It was a place among 
rocks, very steep, and unpassable 
for water. 

4 When I was past this place, 
I came into a plain ; and there 
falling down upon my knees, I 
began to pray unto the Lord, and 
to confess my sins. 

5 And as I was praying, the 
heaven was opened, and I saw the 
woman which I had coveted, 
saluting me from heaven, and 
saying, Hermas, hail ! and I look- 
ing upon her, answered, Lady, 
what dost thou do here? She 
answerered me, 1 I am taken up 
hither to accuse thee of sin be- 
fore the Lord. 

6 Lady, said I, wilt thou 2 con- 
vince me? No, said she: but hear 
the words which I am about to 
speak unto thee. God who dwell- 
eth in heaven, and hath made all 
things out of nothing, and hath 
multiplied them for his holy 
church's sake, is angry with thee 

x In MS. Lambeth. Pnecenta sum a Domino ut peccata tua arguam : I 
im commanded of the Lord to reprove thee for thy sins. 2 In MS. Wilt 



thou accuse me ? 



197 



Against filthy 



I. HEPMAS. 



and proud thoughts. 



because thou hast sinned against 
in '. 

7 And I answering said unto 
her, Lady, if I have Binned 
an dust thee, tell me where, or in 
what place, or when did I ever 
speak an unseemly or dishonest 
word unto thee? 

8 Have J not always esteemed 
thee as a lady ? Have I not al- 
ways revereuced thee as a sister ? 
Why then dost thou imagine 
these wicked things against me ? 

9 Then she, smiling upon me, 
said : the desire of naughtiness 
has risen up in thy heart. Does 
it not seem to thee to be an ill 
thing for a righteous man to have 
an evil desire rise up in his heart? 

10 It is indeed a sin, and that 
a very great one, to such a one ; 
for a righteous man thinketh 
that which is righteous. And 
whilst he does so, and walk 3th 
uprightly, he shall have the 
Lord in heaven favorable unto 
him in all his business. 

11 But as for those who think 
wickedly in their hearts, they 
take to themselves death and | 
captivity ; and especially those 
who love this present world, and 
glory in their riches, and regard 
not the good things that are to 
come ; their souls wander up 
and down, and know not where 
to fix. 

12 Now this is the case of 
such as are double-minded, who 
trust not in the Lord, and de- 
spise and neglect their own life. 

13 But do thou pray unto the 
Lord, and he will heal thy sins, 
and the sins of thy whole house, 
and of all his saints. 

14 T As soon as she had 
spoken these words the heavens 
were shut, and I remained utterly 
swallowed up with sadness and 
fear ; and said within myself, if 



this be laid against me for sin, 
how can I be saved ? 

15 Or how shall I ever be 
able to entreat the Lord for my 
many and great sins ? With 
what words shall I beseech him 
to be merciful unto me ? 

16 As I was thinking over 
| these things, and meditating in 

myself upon them, behold a chair 
was set over against me of the 
whitest wool, as bright as snow. 

17 And there came an old 
woman in a bright garment, hav- 
ing a book in her hand, and sat 
alone, and saluted me, saying, 
1 Hermas, hail ! and I being full 
of sorrow, and weeping, answer- 
ed, Hail, Lady ! 

18 And she said unto me, 
Wiiy art thou sad, Hermas, who 
wert wont to be patient, and 
modest, and always cheerful ? I 
answered, and said to her, Lady, 
a reproach has been laid to my 
charge by an excellent woman, 
who tells me, that I have sinned 
against her. 

19 She replied, Far be any 
such thing from the servant of 
God. But it may be the desire 
of her has risen up in thy heart. 
For indeed such a thought maketh 
the servants of God guilty of sin. 

20 Nor ought such a detesta- 
ble thought to be in the servant 
of God : nor should he who is 
approved by the Spirit desire 
that which is evil ; but especial- 
ly Hermas, who contains him- 
self from all wicked lusts, and 
is full of all simplicity, and of 
great innocence. 

21 T Nevertheless the Lord 
is not so much angry with thee 
for thine own sake, as upon the 
account of thy house, which has 
committed wickedness against the 
Lord, and against their parents. 

22 And for that out of thy 



198 



1 Vid. Hieron in Hoseam, vii. 9. 



On neglecting to 



VISION II. 



chastise his children. 



fondness towards thy sons, thou 
hast not admonished thy house, 
but hast permitted them to live 
wickedly ; for this cause the Lord 
is angry with thee: but he will 
heal all the evils that are done in 
thy house. For through their sins 
and iniquities, thou art wholly 
consumed in secular affairs. 

23 But now the mercy of God 
hath taken compassion upon 
thee, and upon thine house, and 
hath greatly comforted thee. 
Only as for thee, do not wander, 
but be of an even mind, and 
comfort thy house. 

24 As the workman bringing 
forth his work, offers it to whom- 
soever he pleaseth ; so shalt thou 
by teaching every day what is 
just cut off a great sin. Where- 
fore cease not to admonish thy 
sons, for the Lord knows that 
they will repent w r ith all their 
heart, 2 and they shall be written 
in the book of life. 

25 And when she had said 
this, she added unto me ; Wilt 
thou hear me read ? — I answered 
her, Lady, I will. 

26 Hear then, said she; and 
opening the book she read, glo- 
riously, greatly, and wonderful- 
ly, such things as I could not 
keep in my memory. For they 
were terrible words, such as no 
man could bear. 

27 Howbeit I committed her 
last words to my remembrance ; 
for they were but few, and of 
great use to us. 

28 Behold the mighty Lord, 
who by his invisible power, and 
with his excellent wisdom made 
the world, and by his glorious 
counsel beautified his creature, 
and with the word of his strength 
fixed the heaven, and founded 
the earth upon the waters ; and 



by this powerful virtue estab- 
lished his Holy Church, which 
he hath blessed. 

29 Behold he will remove the 
heavens, and the mountains, the 
hills, and the seas ; and all things 
shall be made plain for his elect ; 
that he may render unto them the 
promise which he has promised, 
with much honour and joy ; if so 
be that they shall keep the com- 
mandments of God, which they 
have received with great faith. 

30 If And when she had made 
an end of reading, she rose out 
of the chair ; and behold four 
young men came, and carried 
the chair to the east. 

31 And she called me unto her, 
and touched my breast, and said 
unto me, Did my reading please 
thee? I answered, Lady, these 
last things please me ; but what 
went before was severe and hard. 

32 She said unto me, these 
last things are for 3 the righteous, 
but the foregoing for the revol- 
ters and heathen. 

33 And as she was talking with 
me, two men appeared, and took 
her upon their shoulders and went 
to the east where the chair was. 

34 And she went cheerfully 



she was going, 
Hermas, be of 



away ; and as 
said unto me, 
good cheer. 

VISION II. 

Again, of his neglect in collecting his 
talkative wife ; and of his lewd sons. 4 

S I was on the way to Cuma, 
about the same time that 
I went the year before, I began 
to call to mind the vision I for- 
merly had. A nd again the spirit 
carried me away, and brought 
me into the same place, in which 
I had been the year before. 

2 And when I was come into 
the place, I fell down upon my 



A' 



1 In Glory. Edit. Oxon. Hath preserved thee in honour. 2 So. MSS. 
Lamb. Et describentur in libre xita*. 3 Edit. Oxon. * Et ejus mndo. 

199 



Qf hU in'jhct (o 



I. HEKMAS. correct his talkative wife. 



knees, and began to pray unto 

the Lord, and to glorify his 
name, that he had esteemed me 

worthy, and had manifested unto 
ine my former sins. 

3 And when I arose from 
prayer, behold I saw over against 
nn' the old woman whom I had 
seen the last year, walking and 
reading in a certain book. 

4 And she said unto me, Canst 
thou tell these things to the elect 
of God? I answered and said 
unto her, Lady, I cannot retain 
so many things in my memory, 
but give me the book, and I will 
write them down. 

5 Take it, says she, and see 
that thou restore it again to me. 

6 As soon as I had received it, 
I went aside into a certain place 
of the field, and transcribed every 
letter, for I found no syllables. 

7 And as soon as I had fin- 
ished what was written in the 
book, the book was suddenly 
caught out of* my hand, but by 
whom I saw not. 

8 If After fifteen days, when 
I had fasted, and entreated the 
Lord with all earnestness, the 
knowledge of the writing was re- 
vealed unto me. Now the writ- 
ing was this : 

9 Thy seed, O Hermas ! hath 
sinned against the Lord, and 
have betrayed their parents, 
through their great wickedness. 
And they have been called the 
.betrayers of their parents, and 
have gone on in their treachery. 

10 And now have they added 
lewdness to their other sins, and 
the pollutions of their naughti- 
ness: thus have they filled up the 
measure of their iniquities. But 
do thou 2 upbraid thy sons with 
all these words ; and thy wife, 

1 Clem. Alex. Strom 
Oxon. And she, &c. 
aliquis Lat. 5 Shall sin after it. 
200 



which shall be thy sister ; and let 

her learn to refrain her tongue, 

with which she calumuiates. 

11 And when she .-hall hear 
these things, she will refrain her- 
self, and shall obtain mercy. 

12 And :i they also shall be 
instructed, when thou shalt have 
reproached them with these 
words, which the Lord has com- 
manded to be revealed unto thee. 

13 Then shall their sins be for- 
given, which they have hereto- 
fore committed, and the sins of all 
the saints who have sinned even 
unto this day ; if they shall repent 
with all their hearts, and remove 
all doubts out of their hearts. 

14 For the Lord hath sworn 
by his glory concerning his Meet, 
having determined this very time, 
that if any one shall 5 even now 
sin, he shall not be saved. 

15 For the repentance of the 
righteous has its end ; the days 
of repentance are fulfilled to all 
the saints ; but to the heathen, 
there is repentance even unto 
the last day. 

16 Thou shalt therefore say to 
those who are over the church ; 
that they order their ways in 
righteousness, that they may 
fully receive the promise with 
much glory. 

17 Stand fast therefore ye that 
work righteousness and continue 
to do it, that your departure 
may be with the holy angels. 

18 Happy are ye, as many as 
shall endure the great trial that 
is at hand, and whosoever shall 
not deny his life. 

19 For the Lord hath sworn 
by his Son, that whoso denieth 
his Son and him, being afraid of 
his life, he will also deny him in 
the 6 world that is to come. 

Impropera. 3 So one MS. in Coteler. Edit. 
Day. Praefinita ista die etiam nunc si peccaverit 
6 Days that are coming. 



Of his neglect to 



VISION III. 



correct his children. 



20 But those who shall never 
deny him, he will of his exceed- 
ing great mercy be favourable 
unto them. 

21 f But thou, O Hennas! 
remember not the 1 evils which 
thy sons have done, neither ne- 
glect thy sister, but take care 
that they amend of their former 
sins. 

22 For they will be instructed 
by this doctrine, if thou shalt 
not be mindful of what they have 
done wickedly. 

23 For the remembrance of 
evils worketh death, but the for- 
getting of them life eternal. 

24 But thou, O Hermas! hast 
undergone a great many worldly 
troubles for the offences of thy 
house, because thou hast ne 
glected them, as things that did 
not belong unto thee ; and thou 
art wholly taken up with thy 
great business. 

25 Nevertheless, for this cause 
shalt thou be saved, that thou 
hast not departed from the lving 
God, and thy simplicity and sin- 
gular continency shall preserve 
thee, if thou shalt continue in 
them. 

26 Yea, they shall save all 
such as do such things, and walk 
in innocence and simplicity. 

27 They who are of this kind 
shall prevail against all impiety, 
and continue until life eternal. 

28 Happy are all they that 
do righteousness, they, shall not 
be consumed for ever. 

29 But thou wilt say, Behold 
there is a great trial coming. If it 
seem good to thee, deny him 
again. 

30 The Lord is nigh to them 
that turn to him, as it is written 
in the book of Heldam and 



Modal, who prophesied to the 
people of Israel in the wilderness. 

31 If Moreover, brethren, it 
was revealed to me, as I was 
sleeping, by a very goodly young 
man, saying unto me, What 
thinkest thou of that old woman 
from whom thou receivedst the 
book ; who is she ? I answered, 
a Sybil. 

32 Thou art mistaken, said 
he, she is not. I replied, Who 
is she then, sir ? He answered 
me, It is the church of God. 

33 And I said unto him, Why 
then does she appear old ? She is 
therefore, said he, an old wo- 
man, because she was 3 the first 
of all the creation, and the world 
was made for her. 

34 After this I saw a vision 
at home in my own house, and the 
old woman whom I had seen be- 
fore, came to me and asked me, 
whether I had yet delivered 4 her 
book to the elders of the church? 
And I answered, that I had not 
yet. 

35 She replied, Thou hast well 
done, for I have certain words 
more to tell thee. But when I 
shall have finished all the words, 
they shall be clearly understood 
by the elect. 

36 5 And thou shalt write two 
books, and send one to Clement 
and one to Grapte. For Clement 
shall send it to the foreign cities, 
because it is permitted to him so 
to do : but Grapte shall admon- 
ish the widows and orphans. 

37 But thou shalt read in this 
city with the elders of the church. 

VISION III. 

Of the building of the church triumphant, 
and of the several sorts of reprobates. 

THE vision which I saw, bre- 
thren, was this. 

injuries. 2 Eldad and Medad. Numb. xi. 26, 27. 3 See Dr. Grabe's 
Annot. to Bishop Bull's Def. Fid. Nic. p. 24. Fol. de S. Herma. 4 Suum 
is added in the Lambeth MS. 5 Origen. Philocal, cap. 1. 

201 



Of the church 



I. HERMAS. 



tr lump) ha id. 



2 When I had often fasted 
and prayed unto the Lord, that 
lie would manifest unto me the 
revelation, which he had pro- 
mised by the old woman to shew 
unto me; the same night she ap- 
peared unto me, and said unto me: 

3 Because thou dost thus af- 
flict thyself, and art so desirous 
to know all things, come into 
the field, where thou wilt, and 
about the sixth hour, I will ap- 
pear unto thee, and shew thee 
what thou must see. 

4 I asked her, saying: Lady, in- 
to what part of the field? She an- 
sw3red, wherever thou wilt, only 
ch )OS3 a good and a private place. 
And before I began to speak and 
tell her the place, she said unto 
me: I will come where thou wilt. 

5 I was therefore, brethren, in 
the field, and I observed the hours 
an 1 came into the place where I 
had appointed her to come. 

6 And I beheld a bench placed; 
it was a linen pillow, and over it 
spread a covering of fine linen. 

7 When I saw these things 
ordered in this manner and that 
there was nobody in the place, I 
began to be astonished, and my 
hair stood on end, and a kind of 
horror seized me ; for I was alone. 

8 But, being come to myself, 
and calling to mind the glory of 
G)d, and taking courage, I fell 
down upon my knees, and began 
again to confess my sins as before. 

9 Aud whilst I was doing this, 
the old woman came thither with 
the six young men whom I had 
seen before, and stood behind 
me as I was praying, and heard 
me praying and confessing my 
sins unto the Lord. 

10 And touching me, she said: 
L3ave off to pray now only for 
thy sius ; pray also for righteous- 
ness, that thou mayest receive a 
part of her in thy house. 

202 



11 And she lifted me up from 
the place, and took me by the 
hand, and brought me to the 
scat ; and said to the young 
men ; go, and build. 

12 As soon as they were de- 
parted, and we were alone, she 
said unto me: sit here. I an- 
swered her : Lady, let those who 
are elder sit first. She replied, 
Sit down as I bid you. 

13 And when I would have sat 
on the right side, she suffered me 
not, but made a sign to me with her 
hand, that I should sit on the left. 

14 As I was therefore musing, 
and full of sorrow, that she 
would not suffer me to sit on the 
right side, she said unto me, 
Hennas, why art thou sad? 

15 The place which is on the 
right hand is theirs who have 
already attained unto God, and 
have suffered for his name sake. 
But there is yet a great deal re- 
maining unto thee, before thou 
canst sit with them. 

16 But continue as thou doest 
in thy sincerity, and thou shalt 
sit with them: as all others shall 
that do their works, and shall 
bear what they have borne. 

17 If I said to her: Lady, I 
would know what it is that they 
have suffered ? Hear then, said 
she: wild beasts, scourgings, im- 
prisonments, and crosses for his 
name-sake. 

18 For this cause the right 
hand of holiness belongs to them, 
and to all others as many as 
shall suffer for the name of God ; 
but the left belongs to the rest. 

19 Howbeit the gifts and the 
promises belong to both, to them 
on the right, and to those on the 
left hand ; only that sitting on 
the right hand they have some 
glory above the others. 

20 But thou art desirous to 
sit on the right hand with them, 



Of the Church 



VISION III. 



Triumphant, 



and yet thy l defects are many. 
But thou shalt be purged from 
thy defects, as also all who doubt 
not shall be cleansed from all 
tiie sins which they have com- 
mitted unto this day. 

21 And when she had said 
this she would have departed. 

22 Wherefore, falling down 
before her feet, I began to en- 
treat her, for the Lord's sake, 
that she would shew me the 
vision which she had promised. 

23 Then she again took me 
by the hand, and lifted me up, 
and made me sit upon the seat 
on the left side ; and holding up 
a certain bright w 7 and, said unto 
me, Seest thou that great thing ? 
I replied, Lady, I see nothing. 

24 She answered, Dost thou 
not see over against thee a great 
tower, which is built upon the 
water, with bright square stones ? 

25 For the tower was built 
upon a square by these six young 
men that came with her. 

26 But many thousand of other 
men brought stones ; some drew 
them out of the deep, others car- 
ried them from the ground, and 
gave them to the six young men. 
And they took them and built. 

27 As for those stones which 
were drawn out of the deep, they 
put them all into the building ; 
for they were polished, and their 
squares exactly answered one 
another, and so one was joined 
in such wise to the other, that 
there w T as no space to be seen 
where they joined, insomuch that 
the whole tower appeared to be 
built as it were of one stone. 

28 But as for the other stones 
that were taken off from the 
ground, some of them they re- 
jected, others they fitted into the 
building. 



29 As for those which were 
rejected, some they cut out, and 
cast them at a distance from the 
tower ; but many others of them 
lay round about the tower, which 
they made no use of in the 
building. 

30 For some of these were 
rough, others had clefts in them, 
others were white and round, 
not proper for the building of 
the tower. 

31 But I saw the other stones 
cast afar off from the tower, and 
falling into the high-way, and 
yet not continuing in the way, 
but were rolled from the way 
into a desert place. 

32 Others I saw falling into 
the fire and burning; others fell 
near the water, yet could not roll 
themselves into it, though very 
desirous to fall into the water. 

33 If And when she had shewed 
me these things she would have 
departed: but I said to her, 
Lady, what doth it profit me to 
see these things, and not under- 
stand what they mean ? 

34 She answered and said 
unto me : You are very cunning, 
in that you are desirous to know 
those things which 2 relate to the 
tower. Yea, said I, Lady, that 
I may declare them unto the 
brethren, and they may rejoice, 
and hearing these things may 
glorify God with great glory. 

35 Then she said, Many in- 
deed shall hear them, and when 
they shall have heard them, 
some shall rejoice, and others 
weep. And yet even these, if they 
shall repent, shall rejoice too. 

36 Hear therefore what I shall 
say concerning the parable of 
the tower, and after this be no 
longer importunate with me 
about the revelation. 



1 Lat. Exiguitatas. 



8 Are about. 



203 



and of several 



I. HERMAS. 



sorts of reprobates. 



37 For these revelations have 
an end, seeing they are fulfilled. 
But thou dost not leave off to 

desire revelations, for thou art 
very ' urgent. 

38 As For the tower which thou 
seest built,' it is myself, namely 
the church, which have appeared 
to thee both now and heretofore. 
Wherefore ask what thou wilt 
concerning the tower, and I will 
reveal it unto thee, that thou 
mayst rejoice with the saints. 

39 I said unto her, Lady, be- 
cause thou hast thought me once 
worthy to receive from thee the 
revelation of all these things, 
declare them unto me. 

40 She answered me, Whatso- 
ever is fit to be revealed unto thee 
shall be revealed : 2 only let thy 
heart be with the Lord, and doubt 
not, whatsoever thou shalt see. 

41 I asked her, Lady, why is 
the tower built upon the 3 water? 
She replied, I said before to thee 
that thou wert very wise to in- 
quire diligently concerning the 
building, therefore thou shalt 
find the truth. 

42 Hear therefore why the 
tower is built upon the water : 
because your life is and shall be 
saved by water. For * it is found- 
ed by the word of the almighty 
and honourable name, and is 
supported by the invisible power 
and virtue of God. 

43 T" And I answering, said 
unto her, These things are very 
admirable; but, lady, who are 
those six young men that build? 

44 They are, said she, the 
angels of God, which were first 
appointed, and to whom the Lord 
has delivered all his creatures, to 
frame and build them up, and to 
rule over them. For by these 
the building of the tower shall 
be finished. 



45 Aiid who are the rest who 
bring them Btonea ? 

4G They also are the holy an- 
gels of the Lord ; but the other are 
more excellent than these. Where- 
fore when the whole building of 
the tower shall be finished, they 
shall all feast together beside the 
tower, and shall glorify God, 
because the structure of the tower 
is finished. 

47 I asked her, saying, I 
would know the condition of the 
stones, and the meaning of them, 
what it is? 

48 She answering, said unto 
me, Art thou better than all 
others that this should be re- 
vealed unto thee? For others 
are both before thee, and better 
than thou art, to whom these 
visions should be made mani- 
fest. 

49 Nevertheless, that the name 
of God may be glorified, it has 
been, and shall be revealed unto 
thee, for the sake of those who 
are doubtful, and think in their 
hearts whether these things are 
so or not. 

50 Tell them that all these 
things are true, and that there is 
nothing in them that is not true ; 
but all are firm and truly estab- 
lished. 

51 Tf Hear now then concern- 
ing the stones that are in the 
building. 

52 The square and white stones 
which agree exactly in their joints, 
are the apostles, and bishops, 
and doctors, and ministers, who 
through the mercy of God have 
come in, and governed, and 
taught and ministered holily and 
modestly to the elect of God, 
both they that have fallen 
asleep, and which yet remain ; 
and have always agreed with 
them, and have had peace within 



1 Edit. Oxon. 
204 



2 Clem. Alex. Strom, xii. 3 Baptism. 4 Namely, the tower. 



Of the church 



VISION III. 



triumphant, 



themselves, and have heard each 
other. 

53 For which cause their 
joints exactly meet together in 
the building of the tower. 

54 They which are drawn out 
of the deep and put into the 
building, and whose joints agree 
with the other stones which are 
already built, are those which 
are already fallen asleep, and ' 
have suffered for the sake of the 
Lord's name. 

55 And what are the other j 
stones, lady, that are brought 
from the earth ? I would know 
what are they. 

56 She answered, They which 
lie upon the ground and are not ] 
polished, are those w 7 hich God 
has approved, because they have j 
walked in * the law of the Lord, I 
and directed their ways in his j 
commandments. 

51 They which are brought | 
and put in the building of the 
tower, are the young in faith 
and the faithful. And these are 
admonished by the angels to do 
well because that iniquity is not 
found in them. 

58 But who are those whom 
they rejected, and laid beside 
the tower ? 

59 They are such as have sin- 
ned and are willing to repent ; 
for which cause they are not cast 
far from the tower, because they 
will be useful for the building, 
if they shall repent. 

60 They therefore that are yet ! 
to repent, if they shall repent, 
shall become strong in the faith ; 
that is, if they repent now, whilst 
the tower is building. For if the 
building shall be finished there 
will then be no place for them 
to be put in, but they shall be 
rejected; for he only has this j 



privilege who shall now be put 
into the tower. 

61 T But would you know 
who they are that were cut out, 
and cast afar off from the tower ? 
2 Lady, said I, I desire it. 

62 They are the children of 
iniquity, who believed only in 
hypocrisy, but departed not from 
their evil ways ; for this cause 
they shall not be saved, because 
they are not of any use in the 
building by reason of their sins. 

63 W herefore they are cut out, 
and cast afar off, because of the 
anger of the Lord, and because 
they have provoked him to anger 
against them. 

64 As for the great number of 
other stones which thou hast 
seen placed about the tower, but 
not put into the buildings ; those 
which are rugged, are they who 
have known the truth, but have 
not continued in it, nor been 
joined to the saints, and there- 
fore are unprofitable. 

Q5 Those that have clefts in 
them, are they that keep up dis- 
cord in their hearts against each 
other, and live not in peace ; that 
are friendly when present with 
their brethren, but as soon as 
they are departed from one 
another, their wickedness still 
continues in their hearts : these 
are the clefts which are seen in 
those stones. 

6Q Those that are maimed and 
short, are they who have be- 
lieved indeed, but still are in 
great measure full of wicked- 
ness : for this cause they are 
maimed and not whole. 

67 But what are the white 
and round stones, lady, and 
which are not proper for the 
building of the tower ? 

68 She answering said unto 



1 In gequitatem Domini, Lat. 2 Edit. Oxon. 



205 



and of several 



I. HERMAS. 



sorts of reprobates. 



me : II >W long wilt thou con- 
tinue foolish and without under- 
standing, asking everything and 
discerning nothing ? 

69 They are such a> have 
faith indeed, but have withal 
the riches of this present world. 
When therefore any ! troubles 
arise, for the sake of their riches 
and traffic, they deny the Lord. 

70 I answering, said unto her, 
When therefore will they be pro- 
fitable to the Lord ? When their 
riches shall be cut away, says 
she, in which they take delight, 
then they will be profitable unto 
the Lord for his building. 

71 For as a round stone, un- 
less it be cut away, and cast 
somewhat off, its bulk cannot be 
made square, so they who are 
rich in this world, unless their 
riches be pared off, cannot be 
made profitable unto the Lord. 

72 Learn this from thy own 
experience ; when thou wert 
rich, thou wast unprofitable ; 
but now thou art profitable, and 
fit for the life which thou hast 
undertaken; for thou also once 
wast one of those stones. 

73 If As for the rest of the 
stones which thou sawest cast 
afar off from the tower, and 
running in the way, and tum- 
bled out of the way into desert 
places, they are such as have be- 
lieved indeed, but through their 
doubting have forsaken the true 
way, thinking that they cauld 
find a better. But they wander 
and are miserable, going into 
desolate ways. 

74 Then for those stones 
which fell into the fire and were 
burnt, they are those who have 
2 for ever departed from the liv- 
ing God ; nor doth it ever come 
into their hearts to repent, by 
reason of the affection which 



[ they bear to their lusts and 

wickednesses which they commit 

75 And what are the rest 

which fell by the water, and 

could not roll into the water? 

70 They are such as have 
heard the word, and were wil- 
ling to be baptized in the name 
of the Lord ; but considering 

• the great holiness which the 
truth requires, have withdrawn 
themselves, and walked again 
after their wicked lusts 

77 Thus she finished the ex- 
plication of the tower. 

78 But I being still urgent, 
asked her, Is there repentance 
allowed to all those stones which 
are thus cast away, and were not 
suitable to the building of the 

| tower ; and shall they find place 
in this tower ? 

79 They may repent, said 
she, but they cannot come into 
this tower ; but they shall be 
placed in a much lower rank, 
and this after that they shall 
have been afflicted, and fulfilled 
the days of their sins. 

80 And for this cause they 
shall be removed, because they 
have received the word of right- 
eousness : and then they shall 
be translated from their afflic- 
tions, if they shall have a true 
sense in their hearts of what 
they have done amiss. 

81 But if they shall not have 
this sense in their hearts, they 
shall not be saved by reason of 
the hardness of their hearts. 

82 When therefore I had 
done asking her concerning all 

: these things, she said unto me, 
' Wilt thou see somewhat else? 
' And being desirous of seeing it, 
1 1 became very cheerful of coun- 
tenance. 

83 She therefore looking back 



206 



1 Tribulation arises. 8 Finally. 



Of the church 



VISION III. 



triumphant 



upon me, and smiling a little, 
said unto me, Seest thou seven 
women about the tower? Lady, 
said I. I see them. 

84 This tower, replied she, is 
supported by them, according to 
the command of the Lord : hear 
therefore the effects of them. 

85 The first of them, which 
holds fast with her hand, is 
called Faith, by her the elect 
shall be saved. The next, which 
is girt up, and looks manly, is 
named Abstinence : she is the 
daughter of Faith. 

86 Whosoever therefore shall 
follow her shall be happy in all 
his life, because he shall abstain 
from all evil works, believing that 
if he shall contain himself from 
all concupiscence, he shall be the 
heir of eternal life. And what, 
lady, said I, are the other five ? 

87 They are, replied she, the 
daughters of one another. The 
first of them is called Simplicity ; 
the next Innocence ; the third 
Modesty ; then Discipline ; and 
the last of all is Charity. Yv 7 hen 
therefore thou shalt have fulfilled 
the works of their mother, thou 
shalt be able to do all things. 

88 Ladv,said I, I would know 
what particular virtue every one 
of these has. 

89 Hear then, replied she; 
they have equal virtues, and 
their virtues are knit together, 
and follow one another as they 
were born. 

90 From Faith proceeds Ab- 
stinence ; from Abstinence, Sim- 
plicity ; from Simplicity, Inno- 
cence; from Innocence, Modesty ; 
from Modesty, Discipline and 
Charity. Therefore the works 
of these are holy, and chaste, 
and rig-nt. 

91 Whoever therefore shall 
serve these, and hold fast to 
their works, he shall have his 



dwelling in the tower with the 
saints of God. 

92 Then I asked her concern- 
ing the times, whether the end 
were now at hand ; 

93 But she cried out with a 
loud voice, saying, foolish man ! 
Dost thou not see the tower yet a 
building ? When therefore the 
tower shall be finished, and built, 
it shall have an end ; and indeed 
it shall soon be accomplished. 

94 But do not ask me any 
more questions. What has been 
said may suffice thee and all the 
saints for the refreshment of your 
spirits. For these things have 
not been revealed to thee only, 
but that thou mayest make them 
manifest unto all. 

95 For therefore, O Hermas, 
after three days thou must un- 
derstand these words which I be- 
gin to speak unto thee, that thou 
mayest speak them in the ears of 

: the saints ; that when they shall 
have heard and done them, they 

\ may be cleansed from their ini- 
quities, and thou together with 
them. 

96 Hear me therefore, O my 
sons ! I have bred you up in 
much simplicity, and innocency, 
and modesty for the love of God, 
which has dropped down upon 
you in righteousness, that you 
should be sanctified and justified 
from all sin and wickedness ; but 
ye will not cease from your evil 
doings. 

97 Now therefore hearken 
unto me, and have peace one 
with another, and visit one an- 
other, and receive one another, 
and do not enjoy the creatures of 
God alone. 

98 Give freely to them that are 
in need. For some by too free 
feeding contract an infirmity in 
their flesh, and do injury to their 
bodies ; whilst the flesh of others, 

207 



and of several 



I. HERMAS. 



sorts of reprobates. 



who have not food, withers away, 
because they want sufficient nou- 
rishment, and the bodies are con- 
Bumed. 

( J9 Wherefore this intemper- 
ance is hurtful to you, who have, 
and do not communicate to them 
that want. Prepare for the judg- 
ment that is about to come upon 
you. 

100 Ye that are the more emi- 
nent, search out them that are 
hungry, whilst the tower is yet 
unfinished. For when the tower 
shall be finished, ye shall be wil- j 
ling to do good, and shall not find 
any place in it. 

101 Beware, therefore, ye that 
glory in your riches, lest perhaps ; 
they groan who are in want, and 
their sighing come up unto God, 
and ye be shut out with your 
goods without the gate of the 
tower. 

102 Behold I now warn you j 
who are set over the church, and 
love the highest seats, be not ye 
like unto those that work mischief. 

103 And they indeed carry 1 
about their poison in boxes, but 
ye contain your poison and l in- 
fection in your hearts, and will 
not purge them, and mix your 
sense with a pure heart, that ye 
may find mercy with the Great 
King. 

104 Take heed, my children, 
that your dissensions deprive you 
not of your lives. How will ye 
instruct the elect of God, when 
ye yourselves want correction? 
Wherefore admonish one an- 1 
other, and be at peace among 
yourselves, that I, standing be- 
fore your father, may give an 
account for you unto the Lord. ; 

105 Tf And when she had made j 
an end of talking with me, the 
six young men that built, came 
and carried her to the tower ; 



and four others took up the scat 
On which she Bate, and they also 
went away again to the tower. 
1 saw not the faces of these, for 
their backs were towards me. 

106 As she was going away, I 
asked her, that she would reveal 
to me what concerned the three 
forms, in which she had appeared 
unto me. 

107 But she answering said 
unto me, concerning these things 
thou must ask some other, that 
they may be revealed unto thee. 

108 Now, brethren, in the first 
vision the last year, she appeared 
unto me exceeding old, and sit- 
ting in a chair. 

109 In another vision, she had 
indeed a youthful face, but her 
flesh and hair were old ; but she 
talked with me standing, and was 
more cheerful than the first time. 

110 In the third vision, she 
was in all respects much younger, 
and comely to the eye; only she 
had the hair of an aged person ; 
yet she looked cheerful, and sate 
upon a seat. 

111 I was therefore very sad 
concerning these things, until I 
might understand the vision. 

112 Wherefore I saw the same 
old woman in a vision of the 
night saying unto me, All prayer 
needeth humiliation. Fast, there- 
fore, and thou shalt learn from 
the Lord that which thou dost 
ask. I fasted therefore one day. 

113 The same night a young 
man appeared to me and said, 
Why dost thou thus often desire 
Revelations in thy prayers ? 
Take heed that by asking many 
things, thou hurt not the body. 
Let these Revelations suffice thee. 

114 Canst thou see more nota- 
ble Revelations than those which 
thou hast already received ? 

115 I answered and said unto 



208 



1 Medicaments. 




G> <£<£&, 



<&& & iQ™ 






MARY SUPPORTING THE DEAD CHRIST ON HER KNEES. [Pace 74. 

FROM A GREEK PAINTING IN DISTEMPER ON WOOD I TWELFTH CENTURY. 



Of several sorts 



VISION III. 



of reprobates. 



him, Sir, I only ask this one thing 
upon the account of the three 
figures of the old woman that ap- 
peared to me, that the Revelation 
may be complete. 

116 He answered me, You are 
not without understanding, but 
your doubts make you so ; foras- 
much as you have not your heart 
with the Lord. 

117 I replied and said, But we ! 
shall learn these things more 
carefully from you. 

118 *| Hear then, says he, con- 
cerning the figures about which 
you inquire. 

119 And first, in the first 
vision she appeared to thee in j 
the shape of an old woman sit- ! 
ting in a chair, because your old 
spirit was decayed, and without 
strength, by reason of your in- 
firmities, and the doubtfulness of | 
your heart. 

120 For as they who are old ! 
have no hope of renewing them- j 
selves, nor expect any thing but 
their departure ; so you being 
weakened through your worldly 
affairs gave yourself up to sloth, | 
and cast not away your solicitude ; 
from yourself upon the Lord : j 
and your sense was confused, ! 
1 and you grow old in your sadness. 

121 But, sir, I would know 
why she sate upon a chair ? 

122 He answered, because 
every one that is weak sitteth 
upon a chair by reason of his 
infirmity, that his weakness may 
be upheld. Behold therefore 
the figure of the first vision. 

123 In the second vision you 
saw her standing, and having a 
youthful face, and more cheerful 
than her former; but her flesh 
and her hair were ancient. Hear, 
said he, this parable also. 

124 When any one grows old, 
he despairs of himself by reason 

1 Broken, Contusus. 

14 



of his infirmity and poverty, and 
expects nothing but the last day 
of his life. 

125 But on a sudden an inher- 
itance is left to him, and he hears 
of it, and rises ; and being be- 
come cheerful, he puts on new 
strength. And he now no longer 
sits down, but stands, and is 
delivered from his former sorrow ; 
and sits not, but acts manfully. 

126 So you, having heard the 
Revelation which God revealed 
unto you because God had com- 
passion upon you, and renewed 
your spirit, both laid aside your 
infirmities, and strength came to 
you, and you grew strong in the 
faith ; and God, seeing your 
strength, rejoiced. 

127 For this cause he shewed 
you the building of the tower, 
and will shew other things unto 
you, if you shall have peace with 
all your heart among each other. 

128 But in the third vision you 
saw her yet younger, 2 fair and 
cheerful, and of a serene coun- 
tenance. 

129 For as if some good news 
comes to him that is sad, he 
straightway forgets his sadness, 
and regards nothing else but the 
good news which he has heard ; 
and for the rest he is comforted, 
and his spirit is renewed through 
the joy which he has received : 
even so you have been refreshed 
in your spirit by seeing these 
good things. 

130 And for that you saw her 
sitting upon a bench, it denotes 
a strong position; because a 
bench has four feet and stands 
strongly. And even the world 
itself is upheld by the four ele- 

; ments. 

131 They therefore that repent 
perfectly, shall be young ;, and; 
they that turn from their sins- 



2 Honestam. 



209 



Of the tribulation 



I. HERMAS. 



to come. 



with their whole heart, shall be 
established. 

132 And now you have the 
Revelation fully, ask no more fco 
have any thing farther revealed 
unto you. 

loo But if any thing be to be ; 
revealed, it shall be made mani- 
fest unto you. 

VISION IV. 

Of the trial and tribulation that is about 
to come upon men. 

TSAW a vision, brethren, 
twenty days after the former 
vision ; a representation of the 
.tribulation that is at hand. I 
was walking in the field way. 

2 Now from the public way 
to the place whither I went is 
about ten furlongs ; it is a way 
very little frequented : 

3 And as I was walking alone 
I entreated the Lord that he 
would confirm the Revelations 
which he had shewed unto me 
by his holy Church : 

4 And would grant repent- 
ance to all his servants who had 
been offended, that his great and 
honourable name might be glori- 
fied, and because he thought me 
worthy : to whom he might shew 
his wonders, and, that I might 
honour him, and give thanks 
unto him. 

5 And behold somewhat like 
a voice answered me ; Doubt 
not, Hermas. Wherefore I be- 
gan to think, and say within my- 
self, why should I doubt, seeing 
I am thus settled by the Lord, and 
have seen such glorious things? 

6 I had gone but a little far- 
ther, brethren, when behold I 
saw a dust rise up to heaven. I 
began to say within myself, is 
there a drove of cattle coming, 
that raises such a dust ? 



7 It was about a furlong off 
from me. And behold 1 saw the 
dust rise more and mi re, inso- 
much that I began to suspect 
that there was -'somewhat extra- 
ordinary in it. 

8 And the sun shone a little : 
and behold I saw a great beast, as 
it were a whale ; and fiery lo- 
custs came out of his mouth. The 
height of the beast was about a 
hundred feet, and he had a head 
like a 3 large earthen vessel. 

9 I began to weep, and to pray 
unto the Lord that he would de- 
liver me from it. Then I called 
to mind the word which I had 
heard ; Doubt not, Hermas. 

10 "Wherefore, brethren, put- 
ting on a divine faith, and remem- 
bering w ho it was that had taught 
me great things, I delivered my- 

, self bodily unto the bea.-t. 

11 Now the beast came en in 
such a manner, as if it could *at 
once have devoured a city. 

12 I came near unto it, and 
the beast extended its whole bulk 
upon the ground, and put forth 
nothing but its tongue, nor once 
moved itself till I had quite 
passed by it. 

1 3 Now the beast had upon its 
head four colours ; first black, 
then a red and bloody colour, 
then a golden, and then a white. 

14 11 After that I had passed 
by it, and was gone forward 
about thirty feet, behold there 

I met me a certain virgin, well 
adorned as if she had been just 
come out of her bride chamber, 
all in white, having on white 

; shoes, and a veil down her face, 
and covered with shining hair. 

15 Now I knew by my former 
j visions that it was the church, 
! and thereupon grew the more 
) cheerful. She saluted me saying, 



1 That he would shew me. 
210 



Aliquid divinitus. s Vas. urnale. 4 In ictu. 



Of the tribulation 



VISION IV. 



to come. 



Hail, O Man ! I returned the 
salutation, saying, Lady, Hail ! 

16 She answering said unto 
me, Did nothing meet you, O 
man ? I replied, Lady, there met 
me such a beast, as seemed able 
to devour a whole people ; but by 
the power of God, and through 
his singular mercy, I escaped it. 

17 Thou didst escape it well, 
said she, because thou didst cast 
thy whole care upon God, and 
opened thy heart unto him, be- 
lieving that thou couldst be safe 
by no other than by his great 
and honourable name. 

18 For this cause the Lord 
sent his angal, who is over the 
beast, whose name is Hegrin, and 
stopped his mouth, that he should 
not devour thee. Thou hast 
escaped a great trial through thy 
faith, and because thou didst not 
doubt for such a terrible beast. 

19 Go therefore, and relate to 
the elect of God the great things 
that he hath done for thee. And 
thou shalt say unto them, that 
this beast is the figure of the 
trial that is about to come. 

20 If therefore, ye shall have 
prepared yourselves, ye may es- 
cape it, if your heart be pure 
and without spot ; and if ye shall 
serve God all the rest of your 
days without complaint. 

21 Cast all your cares upon 
the Lord, and he will direct 
them. Believe in God, ye doubt- 
ful, because he can do all things ; 
he can both turn away his wrath 
from you, and send you help and 
securitv. 

22 Wo to the doubtful, to 
those who shall hear these words, 
and shall despise them : it had 
been better for them that they 
had not been born. 

23 If Then I asked her con- 



cerning the four colours which 
the beast had upon its head. But 
she answered me saying ; Again 
thou art curious in that thou 
asketh concerning these things. 
But I said to her, Lady, shew 
me what they are. 

24 Hear, said she ; The black 
which thou saw est denotes the 
world in which you dwell. The 
fiery and bloody colour signifies 
that this age must be destroyed 
by fire and blood. 

25 The golden part are ye, 
who have escaped out of it. For 
as gold is tried by the fire, and is 
made profitable, so are ye also in 
like manner tried who dwell 
among the men of this world. 

26 They therefore, that shall 
endure to the end, and be proved 
by them shall be purged. And 
as gold, by this trial, is cleansed 
and loses its dross, so shall ye 
also cast away all sorrow and 
trouble, and be made pure for 
the building of the tower. 

27 But the white colour de- 
notes the time of the world which 
is to come, in which the elect of 
God shall dwell : because the 
elect of God shall be pure and 
without spot until life eternal. 

28 Wherefore do not thou 
cease to speak these things in 
the ears of the saints. Here ye 
have the figure of the great tri- 
bulation that is about to come; 
which, if you please shall be 
nothing to you. Keep therefore 
in mind the things that I have 
said unto you. 

29 When she had spoken thus 
much, she departed ; but I saw 
not whither she went. But sud- 
denly I heard a noise, and I 
turned back, being afraid, for I 
thought that the beast was com- 
ing toward me. 



211 



The Second Book of HERMAS, called his COMMANDS. 



Introduction. 

WHEN I had prayed at 
home, and was sat down 
upon the bed, a certain man 
came in to me with a reverend 
look, in the habit of a shepherd, 
cJ tied with a white cloak, having 
his bag upon his back, and his 
staff in his hand, and saluted me. ! 

2 I returned his salutation, 
and immediately he sat down by ; 
me, and said unto me, I am sent 
by that venerable messenger, that 
I should dwell with thee all the 
remaining days of thy life. 

3 But I thought that he was 
come to. try me, and said unto 
him, Who are you ? For I know 
to whom I am committed. He 
said unto me, Do you not know ; 
me ? I answered no. I am, said 
he, that shepherd to whose care 
you are delivered. 

4 Whilst he was yet speaking, 
his shape was changed ; and 
when I knew that it was he to 
wdiom I was committed, I w r as 
ashamed, and a sudden fear came 
upon me, and I w T as utterly over- 
come with sadness, because I had 
spoken so foolishly unto him. 

5 But he said unto me, Be 
not ashamed, but receive strength 
in thy mind, through the com- 
mands which I am about to de- 
liver unto thee. For, said he, I 
am sent to shew unto thee all 
those things again, which thou 
hast seen before, but especially 
such of them as may be of most 
use unto thee. 

6 And first of all write my 
Commands and Similitudes, the 
rest thou shalt so write as I shall 



shew unto thee. But I therefore 
bid thee first of all write my 
Commands and Similitudes, that 
by often reading of them thou 
mayest the more easily 'keep 
them in memory. 

7 Whereupon I wrote his 
Commands and Similitudes, as 
he bade me. 

8 Which things if when you 
have heard, ye shall observe to 
do them, and shall walk accord- 
ing to them, and exercise your- 
selves in them with a pure mind, 
ye. shall receive from the Lord 
those things which he has pro- 
mised unto you. 

9 But if having heard them 
ye shall not repent, but shall 
still go on to add to your sins, 
2 ye shall be punished by him. 

10 All these things that Shep- 
herd, the angel of repentance, 
commanded me to write. 

COMMAND I. 

Of 3 believing in one God. 

FIRST of 4 all believe that 
there is one God who crea- 
ted and framed all things of 
nothing into a being. 

2 He comprehends all things, 
and is only immense, not to be 
comprehended by any. 

3 Who can neither be denned 
by any words, nor conceived by 
the mind. 

4 Therefore believe in him, 
and fear him ; and fearing him 
5 abstain from all evil. 

5 Keep these things, and cast 
all 6 lust and iniquity far from 
thee, and put on righteousness, 
and thou shalt live to God, if 
thou shalt keep this command- 
ment. 



1 Observe them, Custodite possiss. Lat. 2 Adversa recipietis. 3 Faith. 
* Irenaens 1. 1, c. 3. Origen, de Princ 1. 1, c. 3. Eueeb. Hist. Eccles. 1. 5, c. 
8. Athanas. dp Tncarn. Verb. &c. 5 Habe abstinentiam. 6 Omnem. concu- 
piscentiam. MSS. Lamb, et Oxon. 

212 



Against detraction 



COMMAND III. 



and lying. 



9 For he has fulfilled his duty 
as he received it from God ; not 
making any choice to whom he 
should give, and to whom not. 
And this service he did with 
simplicity and n to the glory of 
God. 

10 Keep therefore this com- 
mand according as I have deli- 
vered it unto thee ; that thy re- 
pentance may be found to be sin- 
cere, and that good may come to 
thy house; and have a pure heart. 

COMMAND III. 

Of avoiding lying, and the repentance 
of Hernias for his dissimulation. 

MOREOVER » he said unto 
me, love truth ; and let all 
the speech be true which pro- 
ceeds out of thy mouth. 

2 That the spirit which the 
Lord hath given to dwell in thy 
flesh may be found true towards 
all men ; and the Lord be glori- 
fied, who hath given such a spirit 
unto thee : because God is true 
in all his words, and in him 
there is no lie. 

3 They therefore that lie, deny 
the Lord, u and become robbers 
of the Lord, 15 not rendering to 
God what they received from 
him. 

4 For they received the spirit 
free from lying : If there! ore 
they make that a liar, they defile 
what was committed to them by 
the Lord, and become deceivers 

5 When I heard this, I wept 
bitterly; and when he saw me 
weeping, he said unto me, Why 

1 Lat. Have simplicity and be innocent. 2 Gr. 'Ei 6s /nn y nat, av anovuv 
evnxog eav. 3 So theGr. and Lamb. MS. Particeps eris peccati male loquentis, 
crodens: tu habebis peccatum. 4 Vid. Antioch. Horn. xxix. 5 Daemon. 
6 The Greek hath ovv. » Eat her Simplicity ; according to the Greek reading, 
preserved by Athanasius. 8 Gr. in which there is no evil offence, but all 
things smooth and delightful, ev o/.c ov6fv izpnaKoiiua eon Tznvrjpov, aWka navra 



COMMAND II. 

That we must avoid detraction, and do 
our alms-deeds with simplicity. 

HE said unto me, * Be inno- 
cent and without disguise ; 
so shalt thou be like an infant 
who knows no malice which de- 
stroys the life of man. 

2 Especially see that thou 
speak evil of none, nor willingly 
hear any one speak evil of any. 

3 2 For if thou observest not 
this, thou also who hearest shalt 
be 3 partaker of the sin of him 
that speaketh evil, by believing 
the slander, and thou also shalt 
have sin, because thou believed- 
est him that spoke evil of thy 
brother. 

4 * Detraction is a pernicious 
thing ; an inconstant, 5 evil spirit ; 
that never continues in peace, but 
is always in discord. 6 Wherefore 
refrain thyself from it, and keep 
peace evermore with thy brother. 

5 Put on an holy Constancy, 
8 in which there are no sins, but 
all is full of joy; and do good 
of thy labours. 

6 ' Give 10 without distinction 
to all that are in want, not 
doubting to whom thou givest. 

7 But give to all, for God will 
have us give to all, of u all his 
own gifts. They therefore that 
receive shall give an account to 
God, both wherefore they re- 
ceived and for what end. 

8 And they that receive with- 
out a real need, shall give an 
account for it ; but he that gives 
shall be innocent. 



9 Vid. Antioch. Horn, xcviii 



Simply. 



G. f/C TU)V idlLJV 



nun /.a ny i/.apa. 

doprjiiaTtjv. MS. Lamb, de snis dodis. 12 Gloriously to God. 13 Antioch. 
Horn. lxvi. u According to the Gr. 15 See III. Hermas Simil. ix. v. 268 
et seq. 

213 



0/ putting 



II. HERMAS. 



a wife for adultery. 



weepest thou? And I said, Be- 
cause,sir, I doubt whether I can 
be aaved ': 

6 He asked me, Wherefore? 
I replied, because sir, I never 
Bpake a true word in my life; but 
always lived in dissimulation, 
an 1 affirmed a lie for truth to all 
men; and no man contradicted 
me, but all gave credit to my 
words. H)\v then can I live, 
seeing I have done in this man- 
ner ? 

7 And he said unto me, Thou 
thinkest well and truly. For thou 
oughtest, as the servant of God, 
to have walked in the truth, and 
not have joined an evil conscience 
with the spirit of truth, nor have 
grieved the holy aud true Spirit 
ofG)d. 

' 8 And I replied unto him, sir, 
I never before hearkened so dili- 
gently to these things. He an- 
swered, Xow thou hearest them: 
Take care from henceforth, that 
even those things which thou hast 
formerly spoken falsely for the | 
sake of thy business, may, l by j 
thy present truth receive credit, j 

9 For even those things may ! 
be credited, if for the time to j 
come thou shalt speak the truth ; j 
and 2 by so doing thou mayest ' 
attain unto life. 

10 And whosoever shall heark- 
en unto this command, and do it, 
and shall depart from all lying, 
he shall live unto God. 

COMMAND IV. 

Of putting away ones wife for adultery. 

FURTHERMORE," said he, I 
command thee, that thou 
keep 3 thyself chaste ; and that 
thou sufbr not any thought of 
any other marriage, or of forni- 
cation, to enter into thy heart : 
for such a thought produces 



2 But be thou at all times 
mindful of the Lord, and thou 
shalt never sin. For if sueli an 
evil thought should arise in thy 
heart, thou shouldest be guilty 
of a great sin ; and they who do 
such things follow the way of 
death. 

3 Look therefore to thyself, 
and keep thyself from such a 
thought; for where chastity re- 
mains in the heart of a righteous 

! man, there an evil thought ought 
never to arise. 

4 And I said unto him, Sir, 
suffer me to speak a little to you. 
He bade me say on. And I an- 
swered, Sir, if a man that is faith- 
ful in the Lord shall have a wife, 
and shall catch her in adultery ; 
doth a man sin that continues to 
live still with her ? 

5 And he said unto me, As 
long as he is ignorant of her sin, 
he commits no fault in living 
with her ; but if a man shall 
know his wife to have offended, 
and she shall not repent of her 
sin, but go on still in her forni- 
cation, and a man shall continue 
nevertheless to live with her, he 
shall become guilty of her sin, 
and partake with her in her 
adultery. 

6 And I said unto him, What 
therefore is to be done, if the wo- 
man continues on in her sin ? 
He answered, Let her husband 
put her away, and let him con- 
tinue by himself. But if he shall 
put away his wife, and marry 
another 4 he also doth commit 
adultery. 

7 And I said, What if the wo- 
man that is so put away, shall 
repent, and be willing to return 
to her husband, shall she not be 
received by him? He said unto 
me, Yes ; and if her husband 



1 Through these words. Lat. His verbis et ilia fidem recipiant. 2 If thou 
shalt keep the truth. 3 Chastity. 4 Another man s. 
214 



Of putting away 



COMMAND IV. 



a wife for adultery 



shall not receive her, he will sin, 
and commit a great offence 
against himself ; but he ought to 
receive the offender, if she re- 
pents ; only not often. 

8 For to the servants of God 
there is but one repentance. And 
for this cause a man that putteth 
away his wife ought not to take 
another, because she may repent. 

9 This act is alike both in the 
man and in the woman. Now 
they commit adultery, not only 
who pollute their flesh, but who 
also make an image. x If there- 
fore a woman perseveres in any 
thing of this kind, and repents 
not, depart from her, and live 
not with her, otherwise thou also 
shalt be partaker of her sin. 

10 But it is therefore com- 
manded that both the man and 
the woman should remain un- 
married because such persons 
may repent. 

11 Nor do I in this administer 
any occasion for the doing of 
these things ; but rather that 
whoso has offended, should not 
offend any more. 

12 But for their former sins, 
God who has the power of heal- 
ing will give a remedy ; for he 
has the power of all things. 

13 If I asked him again and 
said, Seeing the Lord hath 
thought me worthy that thou 
shouldest dwell with me contin- 
ually, speak a few words unto 
me, because I understand nothing, 
and my heart is hardened through 
my former conversation ; and 
open my 2 understanding because 
I am very dull, and apprehend 
nothing at all. 

14 And he answering said unto 
me, I am the 3 minister of repen- 
tance, and give i understanding 

*See 1 Cor. vii. 15. 2 Sense. 3 Prcepositus. 4 See below, v. 18 et seq. 
5 <rreat wisdom. 6 In his understanding. 7 Chastity. 8 Rightly heard. 
9 MS. Lamb. Qui modo crediderunt, Who have just now believed. 

215 



to all that repent. Does it not 
seem to thee to be 6 a very wise 
thing to repent? Because he 
that does so gets great under- 
standing. 

15 For he is sensible that he 
hath sinned and done wickedly 
in the sight of the Lord, and he 
remembers 6 within himself that 
he has offended, and repents and 
does no more wickedly, but does 
that which is good, and humbles 
his soul and afflicts it, because 
he has offended. You see there- 
fore that repentance is great 
wisdom. 

16 And I said unto him, For 
this cause, sir, I inquire dili- 
gently into all things, because I 
am a sinner, that I may know 
what I must do that I may live ; 
because my sins are many. 

17 And he said unto me, Thou 
shalt live if thou shalt keep these 
my commandments. And whoso- 
ever shall hear and do these com- 
mands shall live unto God. 

18 T And I said unto him, I 
have even now heard from certain 
teachers, that there is no other 
repentance beside that of bap- 
tism ; when we go down into the 
water, and receive the forgiveness 
of our sins ; and that after that, 
we must sin no more, but live in 
7 purity. 

19 And he said unto me, Thou 
has been 8 rightly informed. 
Nevertheless seeing now thou 
inquirest diligently into all 
things, I will manifest this also 
unto thee : yet not so as to give 
any occasion of sinning either 
to those who shall hereafter be- 
lieve, or to those who have al- 
ready believed in the Lord. 

20 For neither they who have 
9 newly believed, or who shall 



continued. 



II. HERMAB. 



Of sadness of heart 



h reafter believe, have any re- 
pmtance of sins, but forgiveness 

of thrill. 

21 But as to those who have 
been called to the faith, and silice 
that are fallen into any gross Bin, 
the Lord hath appointed repent- 
a ice, because God knoweth the 
thoughts of all men's hearts, and 
their infirmities, and the mani- 
fold wickedness of the devil, who 
is always contriving something 
against the servants of God, and 
maliciously lays suares for them. 

22 Therefore our merciful 
Lord had compassion towards 
his creature, and appointed that 
repentance, and gave unto me 
the power of it. And therefore 
I say unto thee, if any one after 
that great and holy calling shall 
be tempted by the devil and sin, 
he has one x repentance. But if 
he shall often sin and repent it 
shall not profit such a one ; for 
he shall hardly live unto God. 

23 And I said, Sir, I am re- 
stored again to life since I have 
thus diligently hearkened to these 
commands. For I perceive that 
if I shall not hereafter add any 
more to my sins, I shall be saved. 

24 And he said, Thou shalt 
be saved : and so shall all others, 
as many as shall observe these 
commandments. 

25 ^ And again I said unto 
him, Sir, seeing thou hearest me 
patiently shew me yet one thing 
more. Tell me, saith he, what it is. 

26 And I said, If a husband 
or a wife die, and the party 
which survives marry again, does 
he sin in so doing ? '* He that 



marries says he, sins Dot: how- 
beit, if he shall remain single, 
he shall thereby gain to himself 
great honour before the Lord. 

27 Keep therefore thy chastity 

and modesty, and thou shalt live 
unto God. Observe from hence- 
forth those things which I speak 
with thee, and command thee to 
j observe, from the time 3 that I 
have been delivered unto thee, 
and dwell in thy house. 

28 So shall thy former sins be 
j forgiven, if thou shalt keep these 
I my commandments. And in like 

manner shall all others be for- 
given, who shall observe these 
my commandments. 

COMMAND V. 

Of the sadness of the heart, and of 
patience. 

BE patient, says he, and * long- 
suffering ; so shalt thou 
have dominion over ail wicked 
works, and shalt 5 fulfil all right- 
eousness. 

2 For if thou shalt be patient, 
the Holy Spirit which dwelleth 
in thee shall be pure, and not be 
darkened by any evil spirit ; but 
being full of joy shall be en- 
larged, and feast 6 in the body in 
which it dwells, and 7 serve the 
Lord with joy, and in great peace. 

3 But if any 8 anger shall 
overtake thee, presently the Holy 
Spirit which is in thee will be 

i straightened and seek to depart 
from thee. 

4 For he is choked by the evil 
I spirit, and has not the ^liberty of 
| 10 serving the Lord as he would ; 
i for he is grieved by u anger. 



1 Vid. Annot. Coteler. in loc. pp. 60, 61. 2 Vid. not. Coteler. in loc. p. 
64 B. C. Rom. vii. 3. Coaip. 1 Cor. vii. 3 SM. Lamb, medius ; Ex quo 
raihi traditus es, That thou hast been delivered unto me, and I dwell, etc. 
4 Gr 1AoK[)oQvfioQ. MS. Lam. Anirmequns. 5 Work. 6 SM. 

Lamb, melius, Cum. vase. Et Gr. /isra mv uksvovc, with the body or vessel. 
7 Jr. Xeirovpyec rcj Kvpco). 8 Of u^oAm, Gr. Bitterness of gall. 9 Place. 

10 Gr. ■ AeiTtrvpyipsai. u 'O^vxo/ua. 

216 




THE INTERMENT OF CHRIST. 

FROM A FRESCO BY CIMABUE, THIRTEENTH CENTURY. 



[Page 75. 



Of sadness of heart, 



COMMAND V. 



and of patience. 



1 When, therefore, both these 
spirits dwell together, it is de- 
structive to a mail. 

5 As if one should take a little 
wormwood, and put it into a ves- 
sel of honey, the whole honey 
would be spoiled ; and a great 
quantity of honey is corrupted by 
a very little wormwood, and loses 
the sweetness of honey, and is 
no longer acceptable to its Lord 
because the whole honey is made 
bitter, and loses its use. 

6 But if no wormwood be put 
into the honey, it is sweet and 
profitable to its Lord. Thus is 
forbearance sweeter than hone} T , 
and profitable to the Lord who 
dwelleth in it. 

7 But anger is unprofitable. 
If therefore anger shall be mixed 
with forbearance, the soul is dis- 
tressed, and its prayer is not 
profitable 2 with God. 

8 And I said unto him, Sir, I 
would know the sinfulness of 
anger, that I may keep myself 
from it. And he said unto me, 
Thou shalt know it ; and if thou 
shalt not keep thyself from it, 
thou shalt lose thy hope with all 
thy house. Wherefore depart 
from it. 

9 For I the 3 messenger of 
righteousness am with thee ; and 
all that depart from it, as many 
as shall repent with all their 
hearts, shall live unto God ; and 
I will be with them, and will 
keep them all. 

10 For all such as have re- 
pented have been justified by the 
most holy messenger, who is a 
minister of salvation. 

11 If And now, says he, hear 



the wickedness of anger ; how 
evil and hurtful it is, and how it 
overthrows the servants of God ; 
for it cannot i hurt those that are 
full of faith because the 5 power 
of God is with them ; but it 
overthrows the doubtful, and 
those that are destitute of faith. 

12 For as often as it sees 6 such 
men, it casts itself into their 
hearts; and so a man or woman 
is in bitterness for nothing, for 
the things of life, or for suste- 
nance, or for a vain word, if any 
should chance to fall in ; or by 
reason of any friend, or for a 
debt, or for any other superflu- 
ous things of the like nature. 

13 For these things are foolish, 
and superfluous, and vain to the 

! servants of God. But equanimity 
j is strong, and forcible ; and of 
great power, and sitteth in great 
j enlargement; is cheerful, rejoic- 
, ing in peace ; and glorifying God 
at all times 7 with meekness. 

14 And this long-suffering 
dwells with those that are full of 
faith. But anger is foolish, and 
light, and empty. Noav bitter- 
ness is bred through folly ; by 
bitterness, anger; by anger, fury. 
And this fury arising from so 
many evil principles, worketh a 
great and incurable sin. 

15 For when all these things 
are in the same 8 man in which 
the Holy Spirit dwells, the ves- 

! sel cannot contain them, but runs 
! over: and because the Spirit be- 
; ing tender cannot tarry with the 
\ evil one ; it departs and dwells 
with him that is meek. 

16 When, therefore, it is de- 
I parted from the man in whom it 



1 Both Athanasius and Antiochus add these words, omitted in our copies : 
" For in forbearance (or long suffering) the Lord dwelleth, but in bitterness 
the Devil. ? ' 2 To. 3 Angel. 4 Gr. work upon evepyr/cai ; et MS. Lamb, 
facere. 5 Virtue. 6 Gr. Totovrovg avBpu-nvc. 7 In the Greek of Athana- 
nius and Antiochus the sense is fuller : Having nothing of bitterness in 
itself, and continuing always in meekness and quietness. 8 Vessel. 

217 



I man 



II. HERMAS. 



Aas two angels. 



dwelt ; that man becomes desti- 
tute of the Holy Spirit, and is 
afterwards filled with wicked 

spirits, 1 and is blinded with evil 
thoughts. Thus doth it happen 
to all angry men. 

17 Wherefore depart thou 
from anger and put on equani- 
mity, and resist wrath ; so thou 
shalt be 2 found with modesty 
and chastity by God. Take good 
heed therefore that thou neglect 
not this command ment. 

18 For if thou shalt obey this 
command, then shalt thou also 
be able to observe the other 
commandments, which I shall 
command thee. 

19 Wherefore strengthen thy- 
self now in these commands, that 
thou may est live unto God. 
And whosoever shall observe 
these commandments shall live 
unto God. 

COMMAND IV. 

That every man has two 3 angels, and 
of the suggestions of both. 

T COMMANDED thee, said 
1 he, in my first command- 
ments, that thou shouldst keep 
faith and fear, and 4 repentance. 
Yes, Sir, said I. 

2 He continued : But now I 
will shew thee the virtues of 
these commands, that thou may- 
est know their effects ; how they 
are 5 prescribed alike to the just 
and unjust. 

3 Do thou therefore believe the 
righteous, but give no credit to 
the unrighteous. For righteous- 



ness keepeth the right way, but 
unrighteousness the wieked way. 

4 Do thou therefore keep the 
right way, and leave that which 
is evil. For the evil way has 
not a good end, but hath many 
stumbling-blocks; it is rugged 
and full of thorns, and leads to 
destruction ; and it is hurtful to 
all such as walk in it. 

5 But they who go in the 
right way, walk with evenness, 
and without offence ; because it 
is not rough nor thorny. 

6 Thou seest therefore how it 
is best to walk in this way. 
Thou shalt therefore go, says he, 
and all others, as many as be- 
lieve in God with all their heart, • 
shall go through it. 

7 1 And now, says he ; 6 un- 
derstand first of all what be- 
longs to faith. There are two 
angels with man ; one of right- 
eousness, the other of iniquity. 

8 And I said unto him : Sir, 
how shall I know that there are 
two such angels with man? Hear 
says he, and understand. 

9 The angel of righteousness, 
is mild and modest, and gentle, 
and quiet. "When therefore, he 
gets into thy heart, immediately 
he talks with thee of righteous- 
ness, of modesty, of chastity, of 
bountifulness, of forgiveness, of 
charity, and piety. 

10 When all these things come 
into thy heart, know then that 
the angel of righteousness is 
with thee. Wherefore hearken 
to this angel and to his works. 

11 Learn also the works of 



1 In the Greek of Athanasius follow these words, omitted in the Lat. Vers. 
of Hernias : *' And is unstable in all his doings, being drawn hither and 
thither by wicked men." 2 In the Greek of Athanasius it runs better thus, 
" Applauded with reverence by those who are beloved of God." 3 Vid. 
Coteler. Annot. in loc. pp. 67, 68. Comp. Edit. Oxon. p. 61, Note a. 4 Lat. 
Poenitentiam ; it should rather be Abstinentiam ; as in the Greek of Athana- 
sius: as appears by the first Commandment, which is here referred to. 
5 Place, Lat. Posita sunt. 6 Vid. Antioch. Horn. lxi. Comp Orig. 1. iii. 
Dj Princip. et in Luc. Horn. xxxv. 
218 



Familiar ajigefe. 



COMMAND VII. We must fear God. 



the angel of iniquity. He is first 
of all bitter, and angry, and 
foolish ; and his works are per- 
nicious, and overthrow the ser- 
vants of God. When therefore 
these things come into thy heart ; 
thou shalt know by his works, 
that this is the angel of inquity. 

12 And I said unto him, Sir, 
how shall I understand these 
things ? Hear, says he, and un- 
derstand. When anger over- 
takes thee, or bitterness, know 
that he is in thee : 

13 As also, when the desire of 
many 1 things, and of the best 
meats and of drunkenness ; when 
the love of what belongs to 
others, pride, and much speak- 
ing and ambition, and the like 
things, come upon thee. 

14 When therefore these things 
arise in thy heart, know that the 
angel of iniquity is with thee. 
Seeing therefore thou knowest 
his works, depart from them all, 
and give no credit to him : be- 
cause his works are evil, and be- 
come not the servants of God. 

15 Here therefore thou hast 
the works of both these angels. 
Understand now and believe the 
angel of righteousness, because 
his instruction is good. 

16 For let a man be never so 
happy ; yet if the thoughts of the 
other angel arise in his heart, that 
man or woman must needs sin. 

17 But let man or woman be 
never so wicked, if the works of 
the angel of righteousness come 
into his heart, that man or wo- 
man must needs do some good. 

18 Thou seest therefore how 
it is good to follow the angel of 
righteousness. If therefore thou 
shall follow him, and 2 submit to 

1 Works. Gr 
Antioch. Horn 



his works, thou 
God. And as 
2 submit to his work 
also unto God. 



shalt live 
many as 



unto 

shall 

shall live 



COMMAND VII. 



That 



must fear God, 
Devil. 



but not the 



FEAR 8 God, says he, and keep 
his commandments. For if 
thou keepest his commandments 
thou shalt be powerful in every 
work, and all thy works shall be 

4 excellent. For by fearing God, 
thou shalt do every thing well. 

2 This is that fear with which 
thou must be affected that thou 
mayest be saved. But fear not 
the devil : for if thou fearest 
the Lord, thou shalt have do- 
minion over him ; because there 
is no power in him. 

3 Now if there be no pow T er 
in him, then neither is he to be 
feared. But he in whom there 
is excellent power, he is to be 
feared : for every one that has 
power, is to be feared. But he 
that has no power is despised by 
every one. 

4 Fear the works of the devil, 
because they are evil. For by 
fearing the Lord, thou wilt fear 
and not do the works of the de- 
vil, but keep thyself from them. 

5 There is therefore a twofold 
fear ; if thou wilt not do evil, 
fear the Lord and thou shalt not 
do it. But if thou wilt do good, 

5 the fear of the Lord is strong, 
and great and glorious. 

6 Wherefore, fear God and 
thou shalt live : and whosoever 
shall fear him, and keep his com- 
mandments, their life is with the 
Lord. But they who keep them 
not, neither is life in them. 



Trpa^eov. 2 Gr. mcTsvoriQ, Lat. Credideris, Believe. 8 Vid. 
cxxvii. Eccles xii. 13. 4 AcvyKparoc, Without comparison : 
or without mixture. 5 In the Gr. of Antioch these words follow, 

which make the connection more clear: "Fear also the Lord, and 
thou shalt be able to do it, lor." 

219 



We must flee evil 



II. IIERMAS. 



and do good. 



COMMAND VIII. 
Thai we mustfieefrom evil, and do good. 

IEAVE told thee, said he, 
that there are two kinds oi 

creatures of the Lord, and that 
there is a two-fold l abstinence 1 . 
From some things therefore thou 
must abstain, and from others not. 

2 I answered, Declare to me, 
sir, from what I must abstain, 
and from what not. Hearken, 
said he. Keep thyself from evil, 
and do it not ; but abstain not 
from good, but do it. For if 
thou shalt abstain from what is 
good, and not do it, thou shalt 
sin. Abstain therefore from all 
evil, and thou shalt "know all 
righteousness. 

3 I said, What evil things are 
they from which I must abstain? 
Hearken, said he : from adultery, 
from drunkenness, from riots, 
from excess of eating, from dain- 
tiness and dishonesty, from pride, 
from fraud, from lying, from de- 
traction, from hypocrisy, from 
remembrance of injuries, and 
from all evil speaking. 

4 For these are the works of 
iniquity, from which the servant 
of God must abstain. For he that 
cannot keep himself from these 
things, cannot live unto God. 

5 But hear, said he, what fol- 
lows of these kind of things : for 
indeed many more there are from 
which the servant of God must 
abstain. From theft, and cheat- 
ing; from false witness, from 
covetoumess, from boasting, and 
all other things of the like nature. 

6 Do these things seem to 
thee to be evil or not ? Indeed 
they are very evil to the servants 



of God. "Wherefore the servant 
of God must abstain from all 
these B works. 

7 Keep thyself therefore from 
them, that thou mayest live unto 
( rod, and be written among those 
that abstain from them. And 
thus have I shown thee what 
things thou must avoid: now 
1 •urn from what thou must not 
abstain. 

8 Abstain not from any good 
works, but do them. Hear, said 
he, what the virtue of those good 
works is which thou must do, 
that thou mayest be saved. The 
first of all is faith ; the fear of 
the Lord ; charity ; concord ; 
equity; truth; patience; chastity. 

9 There is nothing better than 
these things in the life of man ; 
4 who shall keep and do these 
things in their life. Hear next 
what follow these. 

10 To minister to the widows ; 
not to despise the fatherless and 
poor; to redeem the servants of 
God from necessity; to be hospi- 
table ; (for in hospitality there 
is sometimes 5 great fruit) not to 
be contentious, but be quiet. 

11 To be humble above all 
men ; to reverence the aged ; to 
labour to be righteous; 6 to re- 
spect the brotherhood ; to bear 
affronts ; to be long-suffering ; 
7 not to cast away those that 
have fallen from the faith, but 
to convert them, and make them 
be of 8 good cheer ; to admonish 
sinners; not to oppress those that 
are our debtors ; and all other 
things of a like kind. 

12 Do these things seem to 
thee to be good or not ? And I 



1 Antioch. Horn, lxxix. 2 Do according to the Greek, epyato/jtevovc. 
8 Vid. Coteler. in loc 4 The sense here is defective, and may be thus re- 
stored from the Greek of Athanasius : — Whoever keep^ these things, and 
doth not abstain from them, shall be happy in his life. And so the Lamb. 
M^. : Hies qui custodierit. 5 Gr. ayadmroiqoig, good deed. 6 awnjpeiir. 
7 Add from the Gr. of Athanasius and Antioch us : Not to remember injuries; 
To comfort those who labour in their minds. 8 Evdvuovg. 
220 



We must ask of God COMMAND IX. 



dally, in faith. 



said, What can be better than 
these words? Live then, said 
he, in these commandments, and 
do not depart from them. For 
if thou shalt keep all these com- 
mandments, thou shalt live unto 
God. And all they that shall 
keep these commandments shall 
live unto God. 

COMMAND IX. 

That we must ask of God daily; and 
without doubting. 

AGAIN he said unto me ; 
1 remove from thee all 
doubting ; and question nothing 
at all, when thou askest anything 
of the Lord ; saying within thy- 
self: how shall I be able to ask 
anything of the Lord and receive 
it, seeing I have so greatly sinned 
against him ? 

2 Do not think thus, but turn j thou leave off to ask, 4 and then 
unto the Lord with all thy heart, j thou shalt receive. Else if thou 
and ask ofhim without doubt- ! shalt cease to ask, thou must 
ing, and thou shalt know the complain of thyself, and not of 
mercy of the Lord ; how that he j God, that he has net given unto 
will not forsake thee, but will j thee what thou didst desire. 



shall obtain none of those things 
which they ask. For they that 
are full of faith ask all things 
with confidence, and receive from 
the Lord, because they ask with- 
out doubting. But he that 
doubts, shall hardly live unto 
God, except he repent. 

6 Wherefore purify thy heart 
from doubting, and put on faith, 
and trust in God, and thou shalt 
receive all that thou shalt ask. 
But and if thou shouldest chance 
to ask somewhat and not ( 3 im- 
mediately) receive it, yet do not 
therefore doubt, because thou 
hast not presently received the 
petition of thy soul. 

7 For it may be thou shalt 
not presently receive it for thy 
trial, or else for some sin which 
thou knowest not. But do not 



fulfil the request of thy soul. 

3 For God is not as men, 
mindful of the injuries he has 
received; but he forgets injuries, 
and has compassion upon his 
creature. 



8 Consider therefore this 
doubting, how cruel and perni- 
cious it is; and how it utterly 
roots out many from the faith, 
who were very faithful and firm. 
For this doubting is the daughter 



4 Wherefore purify thy heart of the devil, and deals very wick- 
from all the vices of this present edly with the servants of God. 
world ; and observe the com- 9 Despise it therefore, and 
mands I have before delivered thou shalt rule over it 5 on every 
unto thee from God ; and thou occasion. Put on a firm and 
shalt receive whatsoever good powerful faith : for faith pro- 
things thou shalt ask, and no- mises all things and perfects all 
thing shall be wanting unto thee > things. But doubting will not 
of all thy petitions ; if thou shalt believe, that it shall obtain any- 
askofthe Lord without doubting, thing, by all that it can do. 

5 2 But they that are not such, I 10 Thou seest therefore, says 

1 Vid. Antioch. Horn, lxxxiii. Confer. Fragm. D. Grabe. Spicileg. torn. i. 
page 303. 2 Add from the Gr. both of Athanasius and Antiochus: But if 
thou doubtest in thy heart, thou shalt receive none of thy petitions. For 
those who distrust (or, doubt of) God, are like the double minded, who 
phall obtain none of these things. 3 So MS. Lamb. Tardius accipias: and 
so the Gr Bpadvrepou Aa^avecg. 4 Asking the petition of thy soul. 6 In 
everything. 

221 



Of (he sadness 



II. HERMAK. 



of the heart. 



he, bow faith Cometh from above, ] 
from God ; and hath great power. 
Jim doubting is an earthly spirit, 
and proceedeth from the devil, 
and baa no strength. 

11 Do thou therefore keep the 
virtue of faith, and depart from 
doubting, in which is no virtue, 
and thou shalt live unto God. 
And all shall live unto God, as 
many as do these things. 
COMMAND X. 

Of the sadness of the heart ; and that we 
must take heed not to grieve the spirit 
of God that is in us. 

PUT all sadness far from thee ; 
for it is the sister of doubt- 
ing and of anger. How, sir, said 
I, is it the sister of these? for 
sadness, and anger, and doubt- 
ing, seem to me to be very 
different from one another. 

2 And he answered : 1 Art 
thou without sense that thou 
dost not understand it? For sad- 
ness is the most mischievous of 
all spirits, and the worst to the 
servants of God : 2 It destroys 
the spirits of all men, and tor- 
ments the Holy Spirit ; and 
again, it saves. 

3 Sir, said I, I am very fool- 
ish, and understand not these 
3 things. I cannot apprehend 
how it can torment, and yet save. 
Hear, said he, and understand. 
They who never sought out the 
truth, nor inquired concerning 
the majesty of God, but only be- 
lieved, are involved in the affairs 
of the heathen. 

4 And there is another 4 lying 
prophet that destroys the 5 minds 
of the servants of God ; that is 
of those that are doubtful, not of 
those that fully trust in the Lord. 
Now those doubtful persons come 

1 Without sense thon dost not understand it. 2 So the Lat. Vers. But 

the Gr. of Athanasins is betterj And destroyeth more than any other 
spirit, 



5 Lat 



Ssn^u* 
222 



to him, as to a divine spirit, and 
i in I u ire of him what shall befall 
them. 

5 And this lying prophet hav- 
ing no power in him of the divine 
Spirit, answers them according 
to their demands, and iills their 
souls with promises according as 
they desire. Howbeit that pro- 
phet is vain, and answers vain 
things to those who are them- 
selves vain. 

6 And whatsoever is asked of 
him by vain men, he answers 
them vainly. Nevertheless he 
speaketh some things truly. For 
the devil fills him with his 
spirit, that he may overthrow 
some of the righteous. 

7 If Whosoever therefore are 
strong in the faith of the Lord, 
and have put on the truth : they 
are not joined to such spirits, but 
depart from them. But they that 
are doubtful, and often repent- 
ing like the heathens, consult 
them, and heap up to themselves 
great sin, serving idols. 

8 As many therefore as are 
such, inquire of them upon every 
occasion ; worship idols ; and are 
foolish, and void of the truth. 

9 For every spirit that is 
given from God needs not to be 
asked ; but having the power of 
divinity speaks all things of 
itself; because he comes from 
above, from the power of God. 

10 But he that being asked 
speaks according to men's de- 
sires, and concerning many other 
affairs of the present world, un- 

I derstands not the things which 
! relate unto God. For these spir- 
i its are darkened through such af- 
I fairs, and corrupted and broken. 
[ 11 As good vines if they are 



Questions. 4 Vid. Epit. Oxon. p.* 70 b. Comp. 2 Cor. vii. 10. 



from the Greek Nouf. 



We must not grieve 



COMMAND X. 



the spirit of Cod. 



neglected, are oppressed with 
weeds and thorns, and at last 
killed by them ; so are the men 
who believe such spirits. 

12 They fall into man)- actions 
and businesses, and are void of 
sense, : and when they think of 
things pertaining unto God, they 
understand nothing at all: but if at 
anytime they chance to hear any- 
thing concerning the Lord, their 
2 thoughts are upon their business. 

13 But they that have the fear 
of the Lord, and search out the 
truth concerning God, 3 having 
all their thoughts towards the 
Lord ; apprehend whatsoever is 
said to them, and forthwith un- 
derstand it, because they have 
the fear of the Lord in them. 

14 For where the spirit of the 
Lord dwells, there is also 4 much 
understanding added. Wherefore 
join thyself to the Lord, 5 and thou 
shalt understand all things. 

15 If Learn now, O unwise 
man ! how sadness 6 troubleth the 
Holy Spirit, and how it saves. 
When a man that is doubtful is 
engaged in any affair, and does 
not accomplish it by reason of his 
doubting, this sadness enters into 
him, and grieves the Holy Spirit, 
and makes him sad. 

16 Again, anger when it over- 
takes any man for any business 
he is greatly moved ; 7 and then 



again sadness entereth into the 
heart of him, who was moved 
with anger, and he is troubled for 
what he hath done, and repenteth, 
because he hath done amiss. 

17 This sadness therefore 
seemeth to bring salvation, be- 
cause he repenteth of his evil 

I deed. But both the other things, 
namely, doubting and sadness, 
such as before was mentioned, 
vex the spirit: doubting, because 
his work did not succeed : and 
sadness, because he angered the 
Holy Spirit. 

18 8 Kemove therefore sadness 
from thyself, 9 and afflict not the 
Holy Spirit which dwelleth in 
thee, lest he 10 entreat God, and 
depart from thee. For the spirit 
of the Lord u which is given to 
dwell in the flesh, endureth no 
such sadness. 

19 Wherefore clothe thyself 
with cheerfulness, which has al- 
ways favour with the Lord, and 
thou shalt rejoice in it. For every 

! cheerful man does well ; and re- 
lishes those things that are good, 
j and despises 12 sadness. 

20 But the sad man does al- 
ways wickedly. 13 First, he doth 
wickedly, because he grieveth the 
Holy Spirit, which is given to 
man, being of a cheerful nature. 
And again he does ill, because he 
prays with sadness unto the Lord, 



1 And understand nothing at all, thinking of riches. Lat. 2 Senses. 

3 Gr. of Athanasius, Kapdtav exovrec Trpoc nvpiov. So that the Latin should be 
Hahentes, not Habent. 4 Gr. cvvegic 7ro///.7j. 5 Gr. rravra vorjcetq. 

And so in the Lamb. MS. Omnia scies. 6 Gr. enrpiPei, MS. Lamb. Contri- 
bulat. 7 In the Greek of Athanasius, follows nai -oi^cy n kokov, and he 
doth something which is ill. Which letter agrees with what follows, Because 
he hath done amiss. The text in this place being evidently corrupted, it has 
been endeavoured to restore the true sense of it from the Greek of Athanasius. 
which is as follows : rra/uv rj ?.v-q eiarropeverai etc rrjv Kapdiav rov cnBpu-ov 
tov n^vxo'/rjanvroc, nai "Xwrevrai errc ttj Trpa^et avrov ij errpai-ev nai jueravoei ore 
TTovr/nov eipyacaro. Avttj ovv -q ?.v~rj donee currjpLav tx £iv i 0Tt T0 "xoviipnv 
vpa^ac perevoqeev. Audorepat, 5e rov x-patjeov ?,v-ovrri } &c 8 Antioch. 
Horn. xxv. »Gr. My 0hpe, MS. Lamb. Noli nocere. 10 Gr. M? 

evTevfyrat ru deep. Comp. Rom. vii. 27. u Gr. To SoVev etc ttjv capita, 

TavT7jv y.v-rjv ovk vrrooepei. 12 Gr. Xvkijc. 13 So the Greek : o ds '/.v-^poc 
avrip Tcavrore r.ovqpeverat. npurov fxev novTjpeverat^ &c. 

223 



Spirits and Projects II. HERMAS. to be triad by works. 



and maketh not a first thankful 
acknowledgment unto bim of for- 
mer mercies, and obtains not of 
( rod what he asks. 

21 For the prayer of a sad 
man has not always efficacy to 
come up to the altar of God. 
And I said unto him, Sir, why 
has not the prayer of a sad man 
virtue to come up to the altar of 
G.)d ? because, said he, that sad- 
ness remaineth in his heart. 

22 When therefore a man's 
prayer shall be accompanied with 
sadness, it will not suffer his re- 
quests to ascend pure to the altar 
of God. For as wine when it is 
mingled with vinegar, has not the 
sweetness it had before ; so sad- 
ness being mixed with the Holy 
Spirit, suffers not a man's prayer 
to be the same as it would be 
otherwise. 

23 Wherefore cleanse thyself 
from sadness, which is evil, and 
thou shalt live unto God. And 
all others shall live unto God, as 
many as shall lay aside sadnesss 
and put on cheerfulness. 

COMMAND XI. 

That the spirits and prophets are to be 
tried by their works; and of a two- 
fold spirit. 

HE shewed me certain men 
sitting upon benches, and 
one sitting in a chair: and he 
said unto me seest thou who sit 
upon the benches? Sir, said I, I 
see them. He answered, They are 
the faithful ; and he who sits in 
the chair is an earthly spirit. 

2 For he cometh not into ! the 
assembly of the faithful, but 
avoids it. But he joins himself 
to the doubtful and empty ; and | 



prophesies to them in corners 
and hidden places; and pleases 
them by speaking according to 
all the desires of their hearts. 

3 For he placing himself among 
empty vessels, is not broken, but 
the one fitteth the other. But 
when he cometh into the company 
of just men, ■ who are full of the 
spirit of God, and they pray unto 
the Lord ; that man is 3 emptied 
because that earthly spirit flies 
from him, and he is dumb, and 
cannot speak anything. 

4 As if in a store-house you 
shall stop up wine or oil ; and 
among those vessels shall place 
an empty jar; and shall after- 
wards come to open it, you shall 
find it empty as you stopped it 
up: so those empty prophets 
when they come among the 
spirits of the just, are found to 
be such as they came.* 

5 | I said, How then shall a 
man be able to discern them? 
Consider what I am going to say 
considering both kinds of 5 men ; 
and as I speak unto thee so shalt 
thou prove the prophet of God, 
and the false prophet. 

6 And first try the man who 
hath the spirit of God ; because 
the spirit which is from above is 
humble, and quiet ; and departs 
from all wickedness ; and from 
the vain desires of the present 
world ; and makes himself more 
humble than all men ; and an- 
swers to none when he is asked ; 
nor to every one singly : for the 
Spirit of God doth not speak to 
a man when he will, but when 
God pleases. 

7 When therefore a man who 



1 Church of the living. 2 Have the Spirit of God in them. 8 Exinanitur. 
4 Something was wanting in this place to make the subject clear, and it was 
suggested to Archhishop Wake, by Dr. Grabe, that what should have follow- 
ed was transposed into the next command. Accordingly the Archbishop re- 
duced both places to what he conceived should be their true order, and in 
that state thev now stand. 6 Vessels. 

224* 




THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 'P"Re ' 5 - 

FROM A "BOOK OF THE EVANGELISTS." GREEK MANUSCRIPT OF THE TWELFTH 
CENTURY. 



Of a two-fold spirit. COMMAND XII. Of a twofold dtsire. 



hath the Spirit of God shall come 
into the church of the righteous, 
who have the faith of God, and 
they pray unto the Lord ; then 
the holy angel of God fills that 
man with the blessed Spirit, and 
he speaks in the congregation as 
he is moved of God. 

8 Thus therefore is the spirit 
of God known, because whoso- 
ever speaketh by the Spirit of 
God, speaketh as the Lord will. 

9 Hear .now concerning the 
earthly spirit, which is empty 
and foolish, and without virtue. 
And first of all the man who is 
supposed to have the Spirit, 
(whereas he hath it not in reality), 
exalteth himself, and desires to 
have the first seat, and is wicked, 
and full of words. 

10 And spends his time in 
pleasure, and in all manner of 
voluptuousness; and receives the 
reward of his divination ; which if 
he receives not, he does not divine. 

11 Should the Spirit of God 
receive reward and divine ? It 
doth not become a prophet of 
God so to do. 

12 Thus you see the life of each 
of these kind of prophets. Where- 
fore prove that man by his life 
and works, who says that he 
hath the Holy Spirit. And be- 
lieve the Spirit which comes from 
God, and has power as such. But 
believe not the earthly and 
empty spirit, which is from the 
devil, in whom there is no faith 
nor virtue. 

13 Hear now the similitude 
which I am about to speak unto 
thee. Take a stone, and throw it 
up towards heaven ; or take a 
spout of water, and mount it up 
thitherward ; and see if thou 
canst reach unto heaven. 



14 Sir, said I, how can this be 
done? For neither of those things 
which you have mentioned, are 
possible to be done. And he an- 
swered, Therefore as these things 
cannot be done, so is the earthly 
spirit without virtue, and without 
effect. 

15 Understand yet farther the 
power which cometh from above, 
in this similitude. The grains of 
hail that drop down are exceed- 
ingly small ; and yet when they 
fall upon the head of a man, how 
do they cause pain to it ? 

16 And again ; consider the 
droppings of a house : how the 
little drops falling upon the earth, 
work a hollow in the stones. 

17 So in like manner the least 
things which come from above, 
and fall upon the earth, have 
great force. Wherefore join thy- 
self to this spirit, which has the 
power ; and depart from the 
other which is empty. 

COMMAND XII. 

Of a twofold desire: that the commands 
of God are not impossible : and that 
the devil is not to be feared by them 
that, believe. 

AGAIN he said unto me ; 1 re- 
move from thee all evil 
desires, and put on good and 
holy desires. For having put on 
a good desire, thou shalt hate that 
which is evil, and bridle it as 
thou wilt. But an evil desire is 
dreadful and hard to be tamed. 
2 It is very horrible and wild : 
and by its wildness consumes men. 
And especially if a servant of God 
shall chance to fall into it, except 
he be very wise, he 2 is ruined by 
it. For it destroys those who have 
not the garment of a good desire: 
and 3 are engaged in the affairs of 



datrai 



Vid. Antioch. Horn, lxxiv. 2 MS. Lamb. Consuraitur, et, Gr. Athanas. 



Gr. Athanas. efiwe6vpfievnvQ 



TU QlCJVt TOVTCi. 



cateos, the Lat. Vers, should be Implicates. 
15 



Instead of impli- 
225 



Uo<Vs command* 



II. HERMAS. 



not impossible. 



this present world ; and delivers 
them unto death. 

3 *Sir, said I, what are the 
works of an evil desire, which 
bring men unto death? Shew 
them to me, that I may depart 
from them. Hear said he, by what 
works an evil desire bringeth the 
servants of God unto death. 

4 First of all, it is an evil desire 
to covet another man's wife ; or 
for a woman to covet another's 
husband ; as also to desire the 
dainties of riches: and multitude 
of superfluous meats ; and drunk- 
enness ; and many delights. 

5 For in much delicacy there 

is folly ; and many pleasures are 

needless to the servants of God. ! 

Such lusting therefore is evil and 

... 
pernicious, which brings to death 

the servants of God. For all 

such lusting is from the devil. 

6 Whosoever therefore shall 
depart from all evil desires, shall 
live unto God; but they that are 
subject unto them shall die for 
ever. For this evil lusting is , 
deadly. Do thou therefore put on 
the desire of righteousness, and 
being armed with the fear of the 
Lord, resist all wicked lusting. 

7 For this fear dwelleth in 
good desires ; and when evil 
coveting shall see thee armed 
with the fear of the Lord, and re- 
sisting it, it will fly far from 
thee, and not appearing before 
thee, but be afraid of thy armour. 

8 And thou shalt have the vie- 1 
tory, and be crowned for it ; and 
shalt attain to that desire which 
is good ; and shalt give the vie- i 
tory which thou hast obtained 
unto God, and shalt serve him 
in doing what thou thyself would- 
est do. 

9 For if thou shalt serve good 



desires, and be subject to them ; 
thou shalt be able to get the do- 
minion over thy wicked lustings ; 
and they shall be subject to thee 
as thou wilt. 

10 1 And I said, Sir, I would 
know how to serve that desire 
which is good ? Hearken, saith 
he, Fear God and put thy trust 
in him, and love truth, and 
righteousness, and do that which 
is good. 

11 If thou shalt do these 
things, thou shalt be an approved 
servant of God ; and shalt serve 
him : and all others who shall in 
like manner serve a good desire 
shall live unto God. 

12 If And when he had ful- 
filled these twelve commands, he 
said unto me, Thou hast now 
these commands, walk in them ; 
and exhort those that hear them 
that repent, and that they keep 
their repentance pure all the re- 
maining days of their life. 

13 And fulfil diligently this 
ministry which I commit to thee, 
and thou shalt receive great ad- 
vantage by it ; and shalt find 
favour with all such as shall re- 
pent, and shall believe thy words. 
For I am with thee, and will 
force them to believe. 

14 And I said unto him, 
Sir, these commands are great 
and excellent, and able to cheer 
the heart of that man that shall 
be able to keep them. But, Sir, 
I cannot tell, whether they can 
be observed by any man ? 

15 He answered, Thou shalt 
easily keep these commands, and 
they shall not be hard : howbeit, 
if thou shalt suffer it once to 
enter into thy heart that they 
cannot be kept by any one, thou 
shalt not fulfil them. 



1 That the words here inserted, and removed into their proper place in the 
foregoing Command, do not belong to this Discourse, the Greek of 
Athanasins, in which thev are all omitted, clearly shews. 

226 



Believers not to 



COMMAND XII. 



fear the devil. 



16 But now I say unto thee, 
if thou shalt not observe these 
commands, but shall neglect 
them, thou shalt not be saved, nor 
thy children, nor thy house ; be- 
cause thou hast judged that these 
commands cannot be kept by man. 

17 If These things he spake 
very angrily unto me, insomuch 
that he greatly affrighted me. 
For he changed his countenance, 
so that a man could not bear 
his anger. 

18 And when he saw me altoge- 
ther troubled and confounded, he 
began to speak more moderately 
and cheerfully, saying, O foolish, 
and without understanding ! 

19 Unconstant, not knowing 
the majesty of God how great 
and wonderful he is ; who cre- 
ated the world for man, and hath 
made every creature subject unto 
him : and given him all power, 
that he should be able to * fulfil 
all these commands. 

20 He is able, said he, to 2 ful- 
fil all these commands, who has 
the Lord in his heart : but they 
who have the Lord only in their 
mouths, and their heart is har- 
dened, and they are far from the 
Lord ; to such persons these 
commands are hard and difficult. 

21 Put therefore, ye that are 
empty and light in the faith, the 
Lord your God in your hearts ; 
and ye shall perceive how that 
nothing is more easy than these 
commands, nor more pleasant, 
nor more gentle and holy. 

22 And turn yourselves to the 
Lord your God, and forsake the 
devil and his pleasures, because 
they are evil, and bitter, and 
impure. And fear not the devil, 
because he has no power over you. 

23 For I am with you, the 
messenger of repentance, who 



have the dominion over him. 
The devil doth indeed affright 
men ; but his terror is vain. 
Wherefore fear him not, and he 
will flee from you. 

24 And I said unto him ; Sir, 
hear me speak a few words unto 
you. He answered, Say on : A 
man indeed desires to keep the 
commandments of God : and 
there is no one but what prays 
unto God, that he may be able 
to keep his commandments. 

25 But the devil is hard, and 
by his power rules over the ser- 
vants of God. And he said He 
cannot rule over the servants of 
God, 3 who trust in him with all 
their hearts. 

26 The devil may strive, but 
he cannot overcome them. 

27 For if ye resist him, he 
will flee away with confusion 
from you. But they that are 
not full in the faith, fear the 
devil, as if he had some great 
power. For the devil tries the 
servants of God and if he finds 
them empty, he destroys them. 

28 For as man, when he fills 
up vessels with good wine, 4 and 
among them puts a few vessels 
half full, and comes to try and 
taste of the vessels, doth not try 
those that are full, because he 
knows that they are good ; but 
tastes those that are half full, 
lest they should grow sour ; (for 
vessels half full soon grow sour, 
and lose the taste of wine :) 
so the devil comes to the servants 
of God to try them. 

29 They that are full of faith 
resist him stoutly, and he de- 
parts from them, because he 
finds no place where to enter 
into them : then he goes to those 
that are not full of faith, and 
because he has place of entrance, 



1 Ut dominetur. 
Matt. xxiv. 42. 



Angel. 3 Gr. e2,-i^ovrav etc 'Avrov, 



4 Origen. in 

227 



We have an abiding city III. HERMAS. in the world to come. 



he goes into them, and does what 
he will with them, and they be- 
come his servants. 

30 ![ But I, ' the messenger of 
repentance, say unto you, fear 
not the devil, lor I am sent unto 
you, that I may he with you, as 
many as shall repent with your 
whole heart, and that I may 
confirm you in the faith. 

31 2 Believe therefore, ye who 
by reason of your transgressions 
have 3 forgot God, and your own 
salvation ; aud 4 adding to your 
sins have made your life very 
heavy. 

32 That if ye shall turn to 
the Lord with your whole hearts, 
and shall serve him according 
to his will ; he will heal you of 
your former sins, and ye shall 
have dominion over all the works 
of the devil. 

33 Be not then afraid in the 
least of his threatenings, for 



they are without force, as the 
nerves el' a dead man. But 
hearken unto me, and fear the 
Lord Almighty, who is able to 
save and to destroy you ; and 
keep his commands, that ye may 
live unto God. 

34 And I said unto him ; Sir, 
I am now confirmed in all the 
commands of the Lord whilst 
that you are with me, and I 
know that you will break all the 
power of the devil. 

35 And we also shall over- 
come him, if we shall be able, 
through the help of the Lord, 
to keep these commands which 
you have delivered. 

36 Thou shalt keep them, said 
he, if thou shalt purify thy 
heart towards the Lord. And all 
they also shall keep them who 
shall cleanse their hearts from 
the vain desires of the present 
world, and shall live unto God. 



The Third Book of HERMAS, which is called his SIMILI- 
TUDES. 

wretched man ; who understand- 
est not that all these things 
belong to other men, and are 
under the pow 7 er of another. 
For the Lord of this city saith 



SIMILITUDE L 

That seeing we have no abiding city in 
this world, we ought to look after that 
which is to come. 

A ND he said unto me; 5 Ye 
j_l_ know that ye who are the 
servants of the Lord, live here 
as in a pilgrimage ; for your 
city is far oft from this city. 

2 If, therefore, ye know your 
city in which ye are to dwell, 
why do ye here buy estates, and 
provide yourselves with delica- 
cies, and stately buildings, and 
superfluous houses ? For he 
that provides himself these 
things in this city, does not think 
of returning into his own city. 

3 O foolish, and doubtful, and 



unto thee ; Either obey my laws, 
or depart out of my city. 

4 What therefore shalt thou 
do who art subject to a law in 
thine own city ? Canst thou for 
thy estate, or for any of those 
things which thou hast provided, 
deny thy law 7 ? But if thou shalt 
deny it, and wilt afterwards re- 
turn into thy own city, thou 
shalt not be received, but shall 
be excluded thence. 

5 See therefore, that like a man 
in another country, thou procure 



1 Angel. 2 Vid. Antioch. Horn. Ixxvii. 3 MS. Lamb. Qui obliti estis 

Demn, et salntem vestram. 4 What follows should be corrected thus ; Et 
qui adjicientes peccalis vestris, gravatis vitam vestram. 5 Antioch. Horn. xv. 
228 



The rich helped by SIMILITUDE II. the prayers of the poor. 



no more to thyself than what is 
necessary, and sufficient for 
thee ? and be ready, that when 
the God or Lord of this city 
shall drive thee out of it, thou 
mayst oppose his law, and go 
into thine own city ; where thou 
niayst with all cheerfulness live 
according to thine own law with 
no wrong. 

6 Take heed therefore ye that 
serve God, and have him in your 
hearts: work ye the works of 
God, being mindful both of his 
commands and of his promises, 
which he has promised ; and be 
assured that he will make them 
good unto you ; if ye shall keep 
his commandments. 

7 Instead therefore of the pos- 
sessions that ye would otherwise 
purchase, redeem * those that 
are in want from their necessi- 
ties, as everyone is able; justify 
the widows; judge the cause of 
the fatherless ; and spend your 
riches and your wealth in such 
works as these. 

8 For, for this end has God 
enriched you, that ye might ful- 
fil these kind of services. It is 
much better to do this, than to 
buy lands or houses ; because all 
such things shall perish with 
this present time. 

9 But what ye shall do for 
the name of the Lord, ye shall 
find in your city, and shall have 
jov without sadness or fear. 
Wherefore covet not the riches 
of the heathen ; for they are de- 
structive to the servants of God. 

10 2 But trade with your own 
riches which you possess, by 
which ye may attain unto ever- 
lasting joy. 

11 And do not commit adul- 
tery, nor touch any other man's 
wife, nor desire her ; but covet 



that which is thy own business, 
and thou shalt be saved. 
SIMILITUDE II. 

As the vine is supported by the elm, so 
is the rich man helped by the prayers 
of the poor. 

AS I was walking into the 
field, and considered the 
elm and the vine, and thought 
with myself of their fruits, an 
angel appeared unto me, and 
said unto me ; What is it that 
thou thinkest upon thus long 
within thyself? 

2 And I said unto him, Sir, I 
think of this vine and this elm 
because their fruits are fair. 
And he said unto me ; 3 These 
two trees are set for a pattern to 
the servants of God. 

3 And I said unto him, Sir, I 
would know in what the pattern 
of these trees which thou nien- 
tionest, does consist. Hearken, 
saith he ; seest thou this vine and 
this elm ; Sir, said I, I see them,. 

4 This vine, saith he, is fruit- 
ful, but the elm is a tree without 
fruit. Nevertheless this vine 
unless it were set by this elm, 
and supported by it, would not 
bear much fruit; but lying along, 
upon the ground, would bear but 
ill fruit, because it did not hang 
upon the elm ; whereas, beingsup- 
ported upon the elm, it bears fruit 
both for itself and for that. 

5 See, therefore, how the elm 
gives no less, but rather more 
fruit, than the vine. How, Sir, 
said I, does it bear more fruit 
than the vine ? Because, said he, 
the vine being supported upon the 
elm gives both much and good 
fruit ; whereas, if it lay along 
upon the ground, it would bear 
but little, and that very ill too. , 

6 This similitude, therefore, is 
set forth to the servants of God ; 



i Souls. 2 MS. Lambeth. 
Origen. in Jos. Horn. x. 



Proprias, autera quas haberis agite. 

229 



Vid. 



Of green and 



III. HERMAS. 



dry leaves. 



and it represents the rich and 
poor man. I answered, Sir, make 
this manifest unto me. Hear, 
said he; the rich man has wealth; 
hovvbeit towards the Lord he is 
poor ; for he is l taken up about his 
riches, and prays but little to the 
Lord; and the prayers which he 
makes are lazy and withoutforcc. 

7 When, therefore, the rich 
man reaches out to the poor those 
things which he wants, the poor 
man prays unto the Lord for the 
rich ; and God grants unto the 
rich man all good things, because 
the poor man is rich in prayer ; 
and his requests havegreat power 
with the Lord. 

8 Then the rich man ministers 
all things to the poor, because 
he perceives that he is heard by 
the Lord : and he the more will- 
ingly and without doubting, 
affords him what he wants, and 
takes care that nothing be lack- 
ing to him. 

9 And the poor man gives 
thanks unto the Lord for the 
rich ; because they do both their 
work from the Lord. 

10 With men therefore, the 
elm is not thought to give any 
fruit ; and they know not neither 
understand that its company 
being added to the vine, the vine 
bears a double increase, both for 
itself and for the elm. 

11 Even so the poor praying 
unto the Lord for the rich, are 
heard by him ; and their riches 
are increased, because they 
minister to the poor of their 
wealth. They are therefore both 
made partakers of each other's 
good works. 

12 Whosoever, therefore, shall 
do these things, he shall not be 
forsaken by the Lord, but shall 
be written in the book of life. 

13 Happy are they v/ho re 

1 Distracted. 
230 



rich, and perceive themselves to 
be increased : for he that is sen- 
sible of this, will be able to min- 
ister somewhat to others. 
SIMILITUDE III. 

As the green trees in the winter cannot 

be distinguished from the dry ; so 
neither can the righteous from the 
wicked in this present world. 

AGAIN he showed me many 
trees whose leaves were 
shed, and which seemed to me to 
be withered, for they were all 
alike. And he said unto me, Seest 
thou these trees? I said, Sir, I see 
that they look like dry trees. 

2 He answering, said unto me ; 
These trees are like unto the men 
who live in the present world. I 
replied : Sir, why are they like 
unto dried trees ? Because, said 
he, neither the righteous, nor 
unrighteous, are known from one 
another ; but all are alike in this 
present world. 

3 For this world is as the 
winter to the righteous men, 2 be- 
cause they are not known, but 
dwell among sinners. 

4 As in the winter all the trees 
having lost their leaves, are like 
dry trees; nor can it be discerned 
which are dry and which are 
green : so in this present world 
neither the righteous nor wicked 
are discerned from each other ; 
but they are all alike. 

SIMILITUDE IV. 

As in the summer the living trees are 
distinguished from the dry by their 
fruit and green leaves; so in the 
world to come the righteous shall be 
distinguished from the unrighteous by 
their happiness. 

AGAIN he showed me many 
other trees, of which some 
had leaves, and others appeared 
dry and withered. And he said un- 
to me, Seest thou these trees? I an- 
swered, Sir, I see them; and some 
are dry, and others full of leaves. 

2 Who are. 



Of a true fast and SIMILITUDE V. 



the rewards of it 



2 These trees, saith he, which 
are green, are the righteous which 
shall possess the world to come. 
For the world to come, is the 
summer to the righteous ; but to 
sinuers it is the winter. 

3 When, therefore, the mercy 
of the Lord shall shine forth, 
then they who serve God shall 
be made manifest, and plain unto 
all. For as in the summer the 
fruit of every tree is shown and 
made manifest, so also the works 
of the righteous shall be declared 
and made manifest, and they 
shall be restored in that world 
merry and joyful. 

4 For the other * kind of men, 
namely the wicked, like the trees 
which thou sawest dry, shall as 
such be found dry and without 
fruit in that other world ; and 
like dry wood shall be burnt ; 
and it shall be made manifest 
that they have done evil all the 
time of their life ; 

5 And they shall be burnt be- 
cause they have sinned and have 
not repented of their sins. And 
also all the other nations shall be 
burnt, because they have not ac- 
knowledged God their Creator. 

6 Do thou therefore bring 
forth good fruit, that in the sum- 
mer thy fruit may be known ; 
and keep thyself from much 
business, and thou shalt not 
offend. For they who are in- 
volved in much business, sin 
much ; because they are taken 
up with their affairs, and serve 
not God. 

7 And how can a man that 
does not serve God, ask anything 
of God, and receive it? But they 
who serve him, ask and receive 
what they desire. 

8 But, if a man has only one 
thing to follow, he may serve 

1 Nations 2 With me. 3 Vid. not 
ibid. 5 Jejuna certe verum jejuniun 



God, because his mind is not 
taken off from God but he serves 
him with a pure mind. 

9 If, therefore, thou shalt do 
this, thou mayest have fruit in 
the world to come ; and all, as 
many as shall do in like manner, 
shall bring forth fruit. 

SIMILITUDE V. 

Of a true fast, and the rewards of it, also 
of the cleanliness of the body 

AS I was fasting, and sitting 
down in a certain mountain, 
and giving thanks unto God for 
all the things that he had done 2 
unto me ; behold I saw the shep- 
herd, who was wont to converse 
with me, sitting by me, and say- 
ing unto me : What has brought 
thee hither thus early in the 
morning? I answered, Sir, to- 
day I keep a 3 station. 

2 He answered, What is a 
station ? I replied, it is a fast. 
He said, What is that fast? I 
answered, I fast, as I have been 
wont to do. Ye know not, said 
he, what it is to fast unto God ; 
nor is this a fast which ye fast, 
profiting nothing with God. 

3 Sir, said I, what makes you 
speak thus ? He replied, I speak 
it, because this is not the true 
fast which you think that you 
fast ; but I will show you what 
that is which is a i complete fast, 
and acceptable unto God. 

4 Hearken, said he, The Lord 
does not desire such a needless 
fast : for by fasting in this man- 
ner, thou advancest nothing in 
righteousness. 

5 5 But the true fast is this : 
Do nothing wickedly in thy life, 
but serve God with a pure mind; 
and keep his commandments 
and walk according to his pre- 
cepts, nor suffer any wicked de- 
sire to enter into the mind. 



pp. 72, 73. 



4 Coteler. 



231 



Of a true fast and 



III. HERMAS. 



the rewards of it. 



6 But trust in the Lord, that 
if thou dost these things, and 

fearesl him, and abstainetb from 
every evil work, thou Bhalt live 
unto God. 

7 If thou Bhalt do this, thou 
Bhalt perfect a great fast, and an 
aceeptable one unto the Lord. 

8 Tf Hearken unto the simili- 
tude which I am about to pro- 
pose unto thee, as to this matter. 

9 A certain man having a 
farm, and many servants, planted 
a vineyard in a certain part of 
his estate for his posterity : 

10 And taking a journey into 
a far country, chose one of his 
servants which he thought the 
most faithful and approved, and 
delivered the vineyard into his 
care ; commanding him that he 
should take up the vines. Which 
if he did, and fulfilled his com- 
mand, he promised to give him 
his liberty. Nor did he command 
him to do anything more; and 
so went into a far country. 

11 And after that servant had 
taken that charge upon him, he 
did whatsoever his lord com- 
manded him. And wdien he had 
staked the vineyard, and found 
it to be full of weeds, he began 
to think with himself, saying; 

12 I have done what my lord 
commanded me, I will now dig 
this vineyard, and when it is 
digged, it will be more beautiful; 
and the weeds being pulled up, 
it will bring forth more fruit 
and not be choked by the weeds. 

13 So setting about this work 
he digged it, and plucked up all 
the weeds that were in it ; and 
so the vineyard became very 
beautiful and pre 

being choked with 

14 After some t 
of the vineyard coi 



into the vineyard, and when he 
saw that it was handsomely 
staked and digged, and the weeds 
plucked up that were in it, and 
| the vines flourishing, he rejoiced 
greatly at the care of his servant. 

15 And calling his son whom 
he loved, and who was to be his 
heir, and his friends with whom 
he was wont to consult ; he tells 
them w 7 hat he had commanded 
his servant to do, and what his 
servant had done more ; and they 
immediately congratulated that 
servant, that he had received so 
Mull a testimony from his lord. 

16 Then he said to them, I 
indeed promised this servant his 
liberty, if he observed the com- 
mand which I gave him ; and 
he observed it, and besides has 
done a good work to my vine- 
yard, which has exceedingly 
pleased me. 

17 Wherefore, for this work 
which he hath done, I will make 
him my heir together with my 
son, because that when he saw 
what was good, he neglected it 
not, but did it. 

18 This design of the lord both 
his son and his friends approved, 
namely, that his servant should 
be heir together with his son. 

19 Not long after this, the 
master of the family calling to- 
gether his friends, sent from his 

| supper several kinds of food to 
that servant. 

20 Which when he had re- 
ceived, he took so much of them 
as was sufficient for himself, and 
divided the rest among his fellow 
servants. 

21 Which when they had re- 
ceived, they rejoiced ; and wished 
that he might find yet greater 
favour with his lord, for what 
he had done to them. 



232 



mendation. 




xstinhot 



CHRIST AS A GARDENER APPEARING TO MARY MAGDALENE. [Page TO. 

FROM A PAINTING IN DISTEMPER ON WOOD I TWELFTH CENTURY. 

The letters underneath are from the back of the picture : " Donatus Bizamanus ; pixit 

in Ilotranto." 



Of a true fast and SIMILITUDE V. 



the rewards of it. 



22 When his lord heard all 
these things, he was again filled 
with great joy ; and calling again 
his friends and his son together, 
he related to them what his ser- 
vant had done with the meats 
which he had sent unto them. 
. 23 They therefore so much 
the more assented to the master 
of the household ; and he ought 
to make that servant his, heir 
together with his son. 

24 If I said unto him, Sir, I 
know not these similitudes, nei- 
ther can I understand them, un- 
less you expound them unto me. 
I will, says he, expound all 
things unto thee whatsoever I 
have talked with thee, or shewn 
unto thee. 

25 Keep the commandments 
of the Lord and thou shalt be 
approved, and shalt be written 
in the number of those that keep 
his commandments. But if be- 
sides those things which the Lord 
hath commanded, thou shalt add 
some good thing; thou shalt 
purchase to thyself a greater 
dignity, and be in more favour 
with the Lord than thou shouldst 
otherwise have been. 

26 If therefore thou shalt keep 
the commandments of the Lord, 
and shalt add to them these sta- 
tions, thou shalt rejoice ; but 
especially if thou shalt keep them 
according to my commands. 

27 I said unto him, Sir, what- 
soever thou shalt command me, 
I will observe ; for I know that 
thou wilt be with me. I will, 
said he, be with thee who hast 
taken up such a resolution ; and 
I will be with all those who 
purpose in like manner. 

28 This fast, saith he, whilst 
thou dost also observe the com- 
mandments of the Lord, is ex- 



ceeding good. Thus shalt there- 
fore thou keep it. 

29 First of all, take heed to 
thyself, and keep thyself from 
every ! wicked act, and from 
every filthy word, and from every 
hurtful desire; and purify thy 
mind from all the vanity of this 
present world. If thou shalt 
observe these things, this fast 
shall be right. 

30 Thus therefore do. Having 
performed what is before writ- 
ten, that day on which thou 
fastest thou shalt taste nothing 
at all but 2 bread and water ; 
3 and computing the quantity of 
food which thou art wont to eat 
upon other days, thou shalt 2 lay 
aside the expense which thou 
shouldest have made that day, 
and give it unto the widow, the 
fatherless, and the poor. 

31 2 And thus thou shalt per- 
fect the humiliation of thy soul ; 
that he who receives of it may 

j satisfy his soul, and his prayer 
I come up to the Lord God for thee. 

32 If therefore thou shalt thus 
accomplish thy fast, as I com- 
mand thee, thy sacrifice shall be 
acceptable unto the Lord, and thy 
fast shall be written in his book. 

33 This station, thus per- 
formed, is good and pleasing, and 
acceptable unto the Lord. These 
things if thou shalt observe with 
thy children and with all thy 
house, thou shalt be happy. 

34 And whosoever when they 
hear these things, shall do them, 
they also shall be happy ; and 
whatsoever they shall ask of the 
Lord they shall receive it. 

35 And I prayed him that he 
would expound unto me the simi- 
litude of the farm, and the Lord, 
and of the vineyard, and of the 
servant that had staked the vine- 



1 Shameful ; or, upbraiding:. 
3 Vid. 



2 Vid. Not. Coteler. ii., p. 74. A. B. C. 
Antioch. Horn. vii. 

233 



Of cleanliness 



III. I1ERMAS. 



of the body. 



yard ; and of the weeds that were 
plucked out of the vineyard ; and 
of his son and his friends which 
ho took into council witli him. 
For I understand that that was a 
similitude. 

36 He said unto me, Thou art 
very bold in asking: for thou 
oughtest not to ask any thing ; 
because if it be fitting to shew it 
unto thee, it shall be shewed unto 
thee. 

37 I answered him ; Sir, what- 
soever thou shalt shew me, with 
out explaining it unto me, I shall 
in vain see it, if I do not under- 
stand what it is. And if thou 
shalt propose any similitudes, and 
not expound them, I shall in vain 
hear them. 

38. He answered me again, 
saying: Whosoever is the servant 
of God, and has the Lord in his 
heart, he desires understanding 
of him, and receives it ; and he 
explains every similitude, and 
understands the words of the 
Lord which need an inquiry. 

39 But they that are lazy and 
slow T to pray, doubt to seek from 
the Lord ; although the Lord be 
of such an extraordinary good- 
ness, that without ceasing he giv- 
eth all things to them that ask 
of him. 

40 Thou therefore who art 
strengthened by that venerable 
messenger, and hast received 
such a powerful gift of prayer ; 
seeing thou art not slothful, why 
dost thou not now ask under- 
standing of the Lord, and re- 
ceive it? 

41 I said unto him ; seeing I 
have thee present, it is necessary 
that I should seek it of thee, and 
ask thee ; for thou showest all 
things unto me, and speakest to 
me when thou art present. 

42 But if I should see or hear 



| these things when thou wert not 
present, 1 would then ask the Lord 
that he would shew them unto me. 
4o U And he replied, I said a 
little before that thou wert Bub- 
tle and bold, in that thou asketh 
the meaning of these similitudes. 

44 But because thou still per- 
sistest, I will unfold to thee this 
parable which thou desirest, that 
thou mayest make it known unto 
all men. 

45 Hear therefore, said he, 
and understand. The farm be- 
fore mentioned denotes the whole 
earth. The Lord of the farm is 
he who created and finished all 
things, and gave virtue unto them. 

46 His son is the Holy Spirit : 
the servant is the Son of God : 
the vineyard is the people whom 
he saves. The stakes are the 
1 messengers which are set over 
them by the Lord, to support his 
people. The weeds that are 
plucked up out of the vineyard, 
are the sins which the servants 
of God had committed. 

47 The food which he sent 
him from his supper, are the 
commands which he gave to his 
people by his Son. The friends 
whom he called to counsel with 
him, are the holy angels whom 
he first created. The absence of 
the master of the household, is 

j the time that remains unto his 
coming. 

48 I said unto him, Sir, all 
[ these things are very excellent, 

and wonderful, and good. But, 
! continued I, could I or any other 
■ man besides though never so wise, 
| have understood these things ? 

49 Wherefore now, sir, tell 
me, what I ask. He replied, 
ask me what thou wilt. Why, 

| said I, is the Son of God in this 
| parable, put in the place of a 
j servant ? 



234 



1 Angels. 



Of cleanliness 



SIMILITUDE V. 



of the body. 



50 Hearken, lie said ; the Son 
of God is not put in the condition 
of a servant, but in great power 
and authority. I said unto him 
1 how, sir ? I understand it not.' 

51 Because, said he, the Son 
set his 1 messsengers over those 
whom the Father delivered unto 
him, to keep every one of them ; 
but he himself labored very 
much, and suffered much, that 
he might blot out their offences. 

52 For no vineyard can be 
digged without much labour and 
pains. Wherefore having blot- 
ted out the sins of his people, he 
shewed to them the paths of life, 
giving them the law which he 
had received of the Father. 

53 You see, said he, that he is 
the Lord of his people, having 
received all power from his 
Father. 2 But why the Lord did 
take his Son into counsel, about 
dividing the inheritance, and the 
good angels, hear now. 

54 That 3 Holy Spirit, which 
was created first of all, he placed 
in the body in which God 
should dwell; namely, in a 
chosen body, as it seemed good 
to him. This body therefore 
into which the 3 Holy Spirit was 
brought, served that Spirit, 
walked rightly and purely in 
modesty; nor ever defiled that 
Spirit. 

55 Seeing therefore the body 
at all times obeyed the Holy 
Spirit, and laboured rightly and 
chastely with him, nor faltered 
at any time ; that body being 
wearied conversed indeed ser- 
vilely, but being mightily ap- 

1 Angels. 2 This place, which in all the editions of Hernias is wretchedly 
corrupted, by the collation of editions and MSS. is thus corrected by Dr. 
Grabe: " Quaere autem Dorainus in concilio adhibuerit, filium de hsereditate, 
honestosque nuncios, audi; Spiritum Sanctum, quicreatus est omnium pri- 
mus, in corpore, in quo habitaret Deus, collocavit ; in delecto scilicet cor- 
pore quod ei videbatur." 3 Viz. the created Spirit of Christ, as man; not 
the Holy Ghost, the Third Person of the Sacred Trinity. 4 Thy body, 
according to some copies. 

235 



proved to God with the Holy 
Spirit, was accepted by him. 

56 For such a stout course 
pleased God, because he was not 
defiled in the earth, keeping the 
Holy Spirit. He called there- 
fore to counsel his Son, and the 
good angels, that there might be 
some place of standing given to 
this body which had served the 
Holy Spirit without blame ; lest 
it should seem to have lost the 
reward of its service. 

57 For every pure body shall 
receive its reward ; that is found 
without spot, in which the Holy 
Spirit has been appointed to 
dwell. And thus you have now 
th e exposition of th is parable also. 

58 Sir, said I, I now under- 
stand your meaning, since I have 
heard this exposition. Hearken 
further, said he: keep this thy 
body clean and pure, that the 
Spirit which shall dwell in it 
may bear witness unto it, and be 
judged to have been with thee. 

59 Also take heed that it be 
not instilled into thy mind that 
this body perishes, and thou 
abuse it to any lust. For if thou 
shalt defile thy body, thou shalt 
also at the same time defile the 
Holy Spirit ; and if thou shalt 
defile 4 the Holy Spirit, thou 
shalt not live. 

60 And I said, What if 
through ignorance this should 
have been already committed, 
before a man heard these w T ords ; 
How can he attain unto salva- 
tion, who has thus defiled his 
body? 

61 He replied, As for men's 



Of two sort* of 



III. HERMAS. 



voluptuous men. 



former actions which through 

ignorance they have committed, 
God only can afford a remedy 
unto them ; for all the power be- 
longeth unto him. 

62 But now guard thyself; and 
seeing God is almighty and mer- 
ciful, he will grant a remedy to 
what thou hast formerly done 
amiss, if for the time to come 
thou shalt not defile thy body 
and spirit ; 

63 For they are companions 
together, and the one cannot be 
defiled but the other will be so 
too. Keep therefore both of 
them pure, aud thou shalt live 
unto God. 

SIMILITUDE VI. 

Of two sorts of voluptuous men, and of 
their death, defection, and of the con- 
tinuance of their pains 

AS I was sitting at home, and 
praising God for all the 
things which I had seen ; and 
was thinking concerning the 
commands, that they were ex- 
ceeding good, and great, and 
honest, and pleasant ; and such 
as were able to bring a man to 
salvation ; I said thus within my- 
self ; I shall be happy if I shall 
walk according to these com- 
mands, and whosoever shall walk 
in them shall live unto God. 

2 Whilst I was speaking on 
this wise within myself, I saw 
him whom I had before been 
wont to see, sitting by me ; and 
he spake thus unto me : 

3 What doubtest thou con- 
cerning my commands which I 
have delivered unto thee? They 
are good, doubt not, but trust in 
the Lord, and thou shalt walk 
in them. For I will give thee 
strength l to fulfil them. 

4 These commands are profit- 
able to those who shall repent of 



those sins which they have for- 
merly committed ; if for the time 
to come they shall not continue 
in them. 

5 Whosoever therefore ye be 
that repent, cast away from you 
the naughtiness of the present 
world ; and put on all virtue, 
and righteousness, and so shall 
ye be able to keep these com- 
mands ; and not sin from hence- 
forth any more. 

6 For if ye shall keep your- 
selves from sin from the time to 
come, ye shall cut off a great deal 
of your former sins. Walk in my 
commands, and ye shall live unto 
God : These things have I spoken 
unto you. 

7 And when he had said this, 
he added; let us go into the field, 
and I will show thee shepherds of 
sheep. I replied, sir, let us go. 

8 And we came into a certain 
field, and there he showed me a 
young shepherd, 2 finely arrayed, 
with his garments of a purple 
colour. And he fed large flocks ; 
and his sheep were full of plea- 
sure, and in much delight and 
cheerfulness ; and they skipping, 
ran here and there. 

9 And the shepherd took very 
great satisfaction in his flock ; 
and the countenance of that shep- 
herd was cheerful, running up 
and down among his flock. 

10 If Then the angel said unto 
me, Seest thou this shepherd ? I 
answered, sir, I see him. He said 
unto me, this is the 3 messenger 
of delight and pleasure. He 
therefore corrupts the minds of 
the servants of God, and turns 
them from the truth, delighting 
them with many pleasures, and 
they perish. 

11 For they forget the com- 
mands cf the living God, and live 



'Tn them. 

236 



Vid. Annot. Coteler. in loc. 



Angel. 



Of two sorts of 



SIMILITUDE VI. 



voluptuous men. 



in luxury and in vain pleasures, 
and arc corrupted by the evil an- 
gel, some of them even unto death ; 
and others to l a falling away. 

12 1 replied ; I understand not 
what you mean, by saying unto 
death, and to a falling away. 
Hear, says he ; all these sheep 
which thou sawest exceeding 2 
joyful, are such as have for ever 
departed from God, and given 
themselves up to the 3 lusts of 
this present time. 

13 To these therefore there is 
no return, by repentance unto 
life ; because that to their other 
sins they have added this, that 
they have blasphemed the name 
of the Lord. These kind of men 
are ordained unto death. 

1-4 But those sheep which thou 
sawest not leaping, but feeding in 
one place, are such as have in- 
deed given themselves up to 
pleasures and delights ; but have 
not spoken anything wickedly 
against the Lord. 

15 These therefore are only 
fallen off from the truth, and so 
have yet hope laid up for them 
in repentance. For such a fall- 
ing off hath some hope still left 
of a renewal ; but they that are 
dead, are utterly gone forever. 

16 Again we went a little far- 
ther forward ; and he showed me 
a great i shepherd, who had as it 
were a rustic figure, clad with a 
white goat's skin, having his bag 
upon his shoulder, and in his 
hand a stick full of knots, and 
very hard, and a whip in his 
other hand ; and his countenance 
was stern and sour ; enough to af- 
fright a man ; such was his look. 

17 He took from that young 
shepherd such sheep as lived in 
pleasures, but did not skip up 



and down ; and drove them into 
a certain steep craggy place full 
of thorns and briars, insomuch 
that they could not get them- 
selves free from them. 

18 But being entangled in 
them, fed upon thorns and briars, 
and were grievously tormented 
with his whipping. For he still 
drove them on, and afforded them 
not any place or time to stand still. 

19 ^ When therefore I saw 
them so cruelly whipped and 
afflicted, I was grieved for them ; 
because they were greatly tor- 
mented, nor had they any rest 
afforded them. 

20 And I said unto the shep- 
herd that was with me ; Sir, who 
is this cruel and implacable 
shepherd, who is moved with no 
compassion towards these sheep? 
He answered, 5 This shepherd is 
indeed one of the 6 holy angels, 
but is appointed for the punish- 
ment of sinners. 

21 To him therefore are deli- 
vered those who have erred from 
God, and served the lusts and 
pleasures of this world. For this 
cause he punishes them every one 
according to their deserts, with 
cruel and various kinds of pains. 

22 Sir, said I, I would know, 
what kind of pains they are 
which every one undergoes ? 
Hearken, said he ; The several 
pains and torments are those 
which men every day undergo 
in their present lives. For some 
suffer losses ; others poverty ; 
others divers sicknesses. Some 
are unsettled ; others suffer in- 
juries from those that are un- 
worthy ; others fall under many 
other trials and inconveniences. 

23 For many with an unsettled 
design aim at many things, and it 



1 Ad. defectionem. Lat. 2 Exultantia. Lat. 3 In Gr. Athanas eTridvjuiatg 
< rov A/.uvoc: tovtov. 4 Agrestem Lat. 5 Vid. Origen. in Ps. xxxvi. Horn. 1. 6 Right- 
eous. In Gr. Athanas. e/c ruv Ayye'Auv rov dincuov eari, &c. et sic MS. Lamb. 

237 



Thi lr death 



III. HERMAS. 



and defection. 



profitcth them not ; and they Bay 
that they have not success in 
their undertakings. 

24 ' They do not call to their 
mind what they have done 
amiss, and they complain of the 
Lord. When therefore they 
shall have undergone all kind 
of vexation and inconvenience ; 
then they arc delivered over tome 
for good instruction, and arc con- 
firmed in the faith of the Lord, 
and serve the Lord all the rest of 
their days with a pure mind. 

25 And when they begin to 
repent of their sins, then they 
call to mind their works which 
they have done amiss, and give 
honour to God, saying, That he 
is a just Judge, and they have 
deservedly suffered all things 
according to their deeds. 

2(> Then for what remains of 
their lives, they serve God with 
a pure mind ; and have success 
in all their undertakings, and 
receive from the Lord whatever 
they desire. 

27 And then they give thanks 
unto the Lord that they were 
delivered unto me ; nor do they 
suffer any more cruelty. 

28 ^ I said unto him ; Sir, 
I entreat you still to show me 
now one thing. "What, said he, 
dost thou 2 ask ? I said unto 
him ; Arc they who depart from 
the fear of God, tormented for 
the same time that they enjoyed 
their false delight and pleasures ? 
He answered me : They are tor- 
mented for the same time. 

29 And I said unto him ; 
They arc then tormented but 
little ; whereas they who enjoy 
their pleasures so as to forget 
God, ought to endure seven 
times as much punishment. 

30 He answered me; Thou 



art foolish, neither understands 
thou the efficacy of this punish- 
ment. I said unto him; Sir, if I 
understood it, I would not desire 
you to tell me. 

31 Hearken, said he, and learn 
what the force of both is, both 
of the pleasure and of the pun- 
ishment. An hour of pleasure 
is terminated within its own 
space ; but one hour of punish- 
ment has the efficacy of thirty 
days. 3 Whosoever therefore en- 
joys his false pleasure for oneday, 
and is one day tormented; that 
one day of punishment is equiva- 
lent to a whole year's space. 

32 Thus look how many days 
any one pursues his pleasures, so 
many years is he punished for 
it. You see therefore how that 
the time of worldly enjoyments 
is but short; but that of pain 
and torments a great deal more. 

33 I replied ; Sir, forasmuch 
as I do not understand *at all 
these times of pleasure and pain ; 
I entreat you that you would 
explain yourself more clearly 
concerning them. He answered 
me, saying ; Thy foolishness still 
sticks unto thee. 

34 Shouldst thou not rather 
purify thy mind, and serve God ? 
Take heed, lest wdien thy time is 
fulfilled, thou be found still un- 
wise. Hear then, as thou de- 
sirest, that thou mayest the more 
easily understand. 

35 He that gives himself up 
one day to his pleasures and de- 
lights, and does whatsoever his 
soul desires, is full of great folly, 

1 nor understands what he does, 
but the day following forgets 
j what he did the day before. 

36 For delight and worldly 
! pleasure arc not kept in memory, 
| by reason of th it : 3 



1 MS. Lamb. Succurritiia : Gr. Athanas. ov yivucKovoi. 
quiris. 3 Origcn. in Num. Horn. viii. 4 MS. Lamb. Omr 

238 



a- / 



The repentant must SIMILITUDE VII. bring forth fruits. 



rooted in them. But when pain 
and torment befal a man a day, 
ha is in effect troubled the whole 
year after ; because his punish- 
ment continues firm in his mem- 
ory. 

37 Wherefore he remembers 
it with sorrow the whole year ; 
and then calls to mind his vain 
pleasure and delight, and per- 
ceives that for the sake of that 
he was punished. 

38 Whosoever therefore have 
delivered themselves over to 
such pleasures, are thus pun- 
ished ; because that when they 
had life, they rendered them- 
selves liable to death. 

39 I said unto him ; Sir, what 
pleasures are hurtful ? He an- 
swered ; That is pleasure to 
every man which he doth wil- 
lingly. 

40 For the angry man, grati- 
fying his passion, perceives pleas- 
ure in it; and so the adulterer 
and drunkard; the slanderer 
and liar ; the covetous man and 
the defrauder; and whosoever 
commits anything like unto 
these, because he l followeth his 
evil disposition, he receives a 
satisfaction in the doing of it. 

41 All these pleasures and de- 
lights are hurtful to the servants 
of God. For these therefore 
they are tormented and suffer 
punishment. 

42 There are also pleasures 
that bring salvation unto men. 
For many, when they do what 
is good, find pleasure in it, and 
are attracted by the delights of it. 

43 Now this pleasure is prof- 
itable to the servants of God, 
and brings life to such men ; but 
those hurtful pleasures, which 
were before mentioned, bring 
torments and punishment. 



44 And whosoever shall con- 
tinue in them, and shall not re- 
pent of what they have done, 
shall bring death upon them- 
selves. 

SIMILITUDE VII. 

That they who repent, must bring forth 
fruits worthy of repentance. 

AFTER a few days I saw the 
same person that before 
talked with me, in the same field, 
in which I had seen those shep- 
herds. And he said unto me ; 
What seekest thou ? 

2 Sir, said I, I came to entreat 
you that you would command 
the shepherd, who is the minister 
of punishment, to depart out of 
my house, because he greatly af- 
flicts me. 

3 And he answered, It is ne- 
cessary for thee to endure incon- 
veniences and vexations ; for so 
that good angel hath commanded 
concerning thee, because he 
would try thee. 

4 Sir, said I ; What so great 
offence have I committed, that I 
should be delivered to this Mes- 
senger ? Hearken, said he : Thou 
art indeed guilty of many sins, 
yet not so many that thou 
shouldest be delivered to this 
2 messenger. 

5 But thy house hath com- 
mitted many sins and offences, 
and therefore that good Mes- 
senger being grieved at their do- 
ings commanded that for some 
time thou shouldst suffer afflic- 
tion ; that they may both re- 
pent of what they have done, 
and may wash themselves from 
all the lusts of this present 
world. 

6 When therefore they shall 
have repented, and be purified, 
then that messenger which is 



1 Obeyeth his disease. 



Angel. 



239 



Many hind* of elect III. HERMA3. and of repenting sinner*. 



appointed over thy punishment, 
shall depart from thee. 

7 I said unto him ; Sir, if 
they have behaved themselves so 
as to anger that good angel, yet 
what have I done ? He an- 
swered : They cannot otherwise 
be afflicted, unless thou, -who art 
the head of the family, suffer. 

8 For whatsoever thou shalt 
suffer, they must needs feel it ; 
but as long as thou shalt stand 
well established, they cannot ex- 
perience any vexation. 

9 I replied ; But, sir, behold 
they also now repent with all 
their hearts. I know, says he, 
that they repent with all their 
hearts ; but dost thou therefore 
think that their offences who re- 
pentare immediately blotted out? 

10 No, they are not presently; 
but he that repents must afflict 
his soul and shew himself hum- 
ble in all his affairs, and undergo 
many and divers vexations. 

11 And when he shall have 
suffered all things that were ap- 
pointed for him ; then perhaps 
he that made him, and formed 
all things besides, will be moved 
with compassion towards him, 
and afford him some remedy ; 
and especially if he shall per- 
ceive his heart, who repents, to 
be pure from every evil work. 

12 But at present it is expe- 
dient for thee, and for thy house, 
to be grieved ; and it is needful 
that thou shouldest endure much 
vexation, as the angel of the 
Lord who committed thee unto 
me, has commanded. 

13 Father give thanks unto 
the Lord, that knowing what 
was to come, he thought thee 
worthy to whom he should fore- 
tell that trouble was coming upon 
thee, who art able to bear it. 

14 I said unto him ; Sir, be 
but thou also with me, and I 

240 



shall easily undergo any trouble. 
1 will, said he, be with thee; 
and I will entreat the messenger 
who is set over thy punishment, 
that he would moderate his af- 
flictions towards thee. 

15 And moreover thou shalt 
suffer adversity but for a little 
time; and then thou shalt again 
be restored to thy former state ; 
only continue on in the humility 
of thy mind. 

16 Obey the Lord with a pure 
heart ; thou, and thy house, and 
thy children ; and walk in the 
commands which I have deli- 
vered unto thee ; and then thy re- 
pentance may be firm and pure. 

17 And if thou shalt keep 
these things with thy house, thy 
inconveniences shall depart from 
thee. 

18 And all vexation shall in 
like manner depart from all 
those, whosoever shall walk ac- 
cording to these commands. 

SIMILITUDE VIII. 

That there are many kinds of elect, and 
of repenting sinners: and how all of 
them shall receive a reward propor- 
tionable to the measure of their repent- 
ance and good works. 

AGAIN he shewed me a wil- 
low which covered the fields 
and the mountains, under whose 
shadow came all such as were 
called by the name of the Lord. 

2 And by that willow stood 
an angel of the Lord very excel- 
lent and lofty; and did cut down 
boughs from that willow with a 
great hook ; and reached out to 
the people that were under the 
shadow of that willow little rods, 
as it were about a foot long. 

3 And when all of them had 
taken them, he laid aside his 
hook, and the tree continued 
entire, as I had before seen it. 
At which I wondered, and mused 
within myself. 



Of the elect, and 



SIMILITUDE VIII. 



their rewards. 



4 Then that shepherd said 
unto me ; Forbear to wonder 
that that tree continues whole, 
notwithstanding so many boughs 
have been cut off from it, but 
stay a little, for now it shall be 
shewn thee, what that angel 
means, who gave those rods to 
the people. 

5 So he again demanded the 
rods of them, and in the same 
order that every one had received 
them, was he called to him, and 
restored his rod ; which when he 
had received, he examined them. 

6 From some he received them 
dry and rotten, and as it were 
touched with the moth; those 
he commanded to be separated 
from the rest and placed by 
themselves. Others gave in their 
rods dry indeed, but not touched 
with the moth: these also he 
ordered to be set by themselves. 

7 Others gave in their rods 
half dry ; these also were set 
apart. Others gave in their rods 
half dry and cleft; these too 
were set by themselves. Others 
brought in their rods half dry 
and half green, and these were 
in like manner placed by them- 
selves. 

8 Others delivered up their 
rods two parts green, and the 
third dry ; and they too were set 
apart. Others brought their 
rods two parts dry, and the third 
green ; and were also placed by 
themselves. 

9 Others delivered up their 
rods less dry, (for there was but 
a very little, to wit, their tops 
dry) but they had clefts, and 
these were set in like manner by 
themselves. In the rods of others 
there was but a little green, and 
the rest dry ; and these were set 
aside by themselves. 

10 Others came, and brought 
their rods green as they had re- 

16 



ceived them, and the greatest 
part of the people brought their 
rods thus; and the messenger 
greatly rejoiced at these, and 
they also were put apart by 
themselves. 

11 Others brought in their 
rods not only green, but full of 
branches ; and these were set 
aside, being also received by the 
angel with great joy. Others 
brought their rods green with 
branches, and those also some 
fruit upon them. 

12 They who had such rods, 
were very cheerful ; and the 
angel himself took great joy at 
them ; nor was the shepherd 
that stood with me, less pleased 
with them. 

13 Tf Then the angel of the 
Lord commanded crowns to be 
brought: and the crowns were 
brought made of palms ; and the 
angel crowned those men in 
whose rods he found the young 
branches with fruit; and com- 
manded them to go into the 
tower. 

14 He also sent those into the 
tower, in whose rods he found 
branches without fruit, giving a 
seal unto them. For they had 
the same garment, that is, one 
white as snow; with which he 
bade them go into the tower. 
And so he did to those who re- 
turned their rods green as he 
had received them ; giving them 
a white garment, and so sent 
them away to go into the tower. 

15 Having done this, he said 
to the shepherd that was with 
me, I go my way ; but do thou 
send these within the walls, every 
one into the place in which he 
has deserved to dwell; exami- 
ning first their rods, but examine 
them diligently that no one de- 
ceive thee. But and if any one 
shall escape thee, I will try them 

241 



Of the elect, and 



III. HERMAS 



their 



upon the altar. Having said 
this to the shepherd, he departed. 

10 After he was gone, the 

shepherd said unto me : Let us 
take the rods from them, and 
plant them ; if perchance they 

may grow green again. I said 
unto him ; Sir, how can those 
dry rods ever grow green again? 

17 He answered me; That tree 
is a willow, and always loves to 
live. If therefore these rods shall 
be planted, and receive a little 
moisture, many of them will re- 
cover themselves. 

18 Wherefore I will try, and 
will pour water upon them, and 
if any of them can live, I will 
rejoice with him ; but if not, at 
least by this means I shall be 
found not to have neglected my 
part. 

19 Then he commanded me 
to call them ; and they all came 
unto him, every one in the rank 
in which he stood, and gave him 
their rods ; which having re- 
ceived, he planted every one of 
them in their several orders. 

20 And after he had planted 
them all, he poured much water 
upon them, insomuch that they 
were covered with water, and did 
not appear above it. Then 
when he had watered them, he 
said unto me; Let us depart, 
and after a little time we will 
return and visit them. 

21 For he who created this 
tree, would have all those live 
that received rods from it. And 
I hope now that these rods are 
thus watered, many of them re- 
ceiving in the moisture, will re- 
cover. 

22 ^ I said unto him, Sir, tell 
me what this tree denotes? For 
I am greatly l astonished, that 



after so many branches have 
been cut off, it seems still to be 
whole; nor does there any thing 
the less of it appeal- to remain, 
which greatly amazes me. 

23 He answered, Hearken. 
This great tree which covers the 
plains and the mountains, and 
all the earth, is the law of God, 
published throughout the whole 
world. 

24 Now 'this law is the Son 
of God, who is preached to all 
the ends of the earth. The 
people that stand under its sha- 
dow, are those which have heard 
his preaching, and believed. 

25 The great and venerable 
angel which you saw, was Mi- 
chael, who has the power over 
his people, and governs them. 
For he has planted the law in 
the hearts of those who have be- 
lieved ; and therefore he visits 
them to whom he has given the 
law, to see if they have kept it. 

26 And he examines every 
one's rod ; and of those, many 
that are weakened: for those 
rods are the law of the Lord. 
Then he discerns all those who 
have not kept the law, knowing 
the place of every one of them. 

27 I said unto him, Sir, why 
did he send away some to the 
tower, and left others here to 
you ? He replied, those who have 
transgressed the law, which they 
received from him, are left in 
my power, that they may repent 
of their sins : but they who 3 ful- 
filled the law and kept it, are 
under his power. 

28 But who then, said I, are 
those, who w r ent into the tower 
crowned ? He replied all such as 
having striven with the devil, 
have overcome him, are crowned : 



1 Moved. 
8 Satisfied. 

242 



MS. Lamb. Hsec autem lex Filius Dei est, praedicatus, &c. 



Of the elect, and 



SIMILITUDE VIII. 



their rewards. 



and they are those, who have 
su tiered hard things, that they 
might keep the law. 

29 But they who gave up 
their rods green, and with young 
branches, but without fruit, have 
indeed endured trouble for the 
same law, but have not suffered 
death ; neither have they denied 
their holy law. 

30 They who delivered up 
their rods green as they received 
them, are those who were modest 
and just, and have lived with a 
very pure mind, and kept the 
commandments of God. 

31 The rest thou shalt know, 
when I shall have considered 
those rods which I have planted 
and watered. 

32 If After a few days we re- 
turned, and in the same place 
stood that glorious angel, and I 
stood by him, Then he said 
unto me; Gird thyself with a 
Howel, and serve me. 

33 And I girded myself with 
a clean towel, which was made 
of coarse cloth. And when he 
saw me girded, and ready to 
minister unto him, he said, Call 
those men whose rods have been 
planted, every one in his order 
as he gave them. 

34 And he brought me into 
the field, and I called them all, 
and they all stood ready in their 
several ranks. Then he said 
unto them ; let every one pluck 
up his rod, and bring it unto 
me. And first they delivered 
theirs, whose rods had been dry 
and rotten. 

35 And those whose rods still 
continued so, he commanded to 
stand apart. Then they came 
whose rods had been dry but not 
rotten. Some of these delivered 
in their rods green ; others dry 



and rotten, as if they had been 
touched by the moth. 

36 Those who gave them up 
green, he commanded to stand 
apart ; but those whose rods were 
dry and rotten, he caused to 
stand with the first sort. Then 
came they whose rods had been 
half dry, and cleft : many of 
these gave up their rods green, 
and un cleft. 

37 Others delivered them up 
green with branches, and fruit 
upon the branches, like unto 
those who went crowned into the 
tower. Others delivered them 
up dry, but not rotten ; and some 
gave them up as they were be- 
fore, half dry, and cleft. 

38 Every one of these he or- 
dered to stand apart ; some by 
themselves, others in their re- 
spective ranks. 

39 Then came they whose rods 
had been green, but cleft. These 
delivered their rods altogether 
green, and stood in their own or- 
der. And the shepherd rejoiced 
at these, because they were all 
changed, and free from their 
clefts. 

40 Then they gave in their 
rods, who had them half green 
and half dry. Of these some 
were found wholly green, others 
half dry; others green, with 
young shoots. And all these 
were sent away, every one to 
his proper rank. 

41 Then they gave up their 
rods, who had them before two 
parts green, and the third dry. 
Many of those gave in their 
rods green ; many half dry ; the 
rest dry but not rotten. So 
these were sent away, each to his 
proper place. 

42 Then came they who had 
before their rods two parts dry 



1 Sabano. Vid. Edit. Oxon. p. 129. not. d. 



243 



Of the elect, and 



III. HERMAS. 



tin ir rewards. 



and the third green ; many of 
these delivered up their rods 
half dry, others dry and rotten ; 
others half dry and cleft; but 
few green. And all these were 
set every one in his own rank. 

43 Then they reached in their 
rods, l in which there was before 
but a little green, and the rest 
dry. Their rods were for the 
most part found green, having 
little boughs, with fruit upon 
them, and the rest altogether 
green. 

44 And the shepherd upon 
sight of these rejoiced exceed- 
ingly, because he had found 
them thus; and they also went 
to their proper orders. 

45 Tf Now after he had exam- 
ined all their rods, he said unto 
me I told thee that this tree loved i 
life : thou seest how many have 
repented, and attained unto sal- 
vation. Sir, said I, I see it. 

46 That thou mightest know, 
saith he, that the goodness and 
mercy of the Lord is great, and 
to be had in honour ; who gave 
his spirit to them that were found 
worthy of repentance. 

47 I answered, Sir, why then 
did not all of them repent ? He 
replied, Those whose minds the 
Lord foresaw would be pure, and 
that they would serve him with 
all their hearts, to them he gave 
repentance. 

48 But for those whose deceit 
and wickedness he beheld, and 
perceived that they would not 
truly return unto him ; to them 
he denied any return unto re- 
pentance, lest they should again 
blaspheme his law with wicked 
words. 

49 I said unto him ; Now, Sir, 
make known unto me, what is the 
place of every one of those, who 



have given up their rods, and 
what their 2 portion ; that when 
they may have not kept their 
seal entire, but have wasted the 
seal which they received, shall 
hear and believe these things, 
they may acknowledge their evil 
deeds and repent ; 

50 And receiving again their 
seal from you, may give glory to 
God, that he was moved with 
compassion towards them, and 
sent you to renew their spirits. 

51 Hearken, said he : they 
whose rods have been found dry 
and rotten, and as it were touch- 
ed with the moth ; are the de- 
serters and the betrayers of the 
church. 

52 Who with the rest of their 
crimes, have also blasphemed the 
Lord, and denied his name which 
had been called upon them. 
Therefore all these are dead unto 
God : and thou seest that none 
of them have repented, although 
they have heard my commands 
w T hich thou hast delivered unto 
them. From these men there- 
fore life is far distant. 

53 They also who have deliv- 
ered up their rods dry, but not 
rotten, have not been far from 
them. For they have been 
counterfeits, and brought in evil 
doctrines ; and have perverted 
the servants of God : but espe- 
cially those who had sinned ; 
not suffering them to return 
unto repentance, but keeping 
them back by their false doctrines. 

54 These therefore have hope ; 
and thou seest that many of them 
have repented, since the time 
that thou hast laid my commands 
before them ; and many more 
will yet repent. But they that 
shall not repent shall lose both 
repentance and life. 



1 MS Lamb. Minimum habuerant viride. 

244 



Sea. 



Of the elect } and 



SIMILITUDE VIII. 



their rewards. 



55 But they that have repent- 
ed, their place is begun to be 
within the first walls, and some 
of them are even gone into the 
tower. Thou seest therefore, 
said he, that in the repentance 
of sinners there is life ; but for 
those who repent not, death is 
prepared. 

56 T Hear now concerning 
those who gave in their rods half 
dry and full of clefts. Those 
whose rods were only half dry, 
are the doubtful ; for they are 
neither living nor dead. 

57 But they who delivered in 
their rods, not only half dry but 
also full of clefts, are both doubt- 
ful and evil speakers ; who detract 
from those who are absent, and 
have never peace among them- 
selves, and that envy one another. 

58 Howbeit to those also re- 
pentance is offered ; for thou 
seest that some of these have re- 
pented. 

59 Now all those of this kind 
who have quickly repented, shall 
have a place in the tower ; but 
they who have been more slow 
in their repentance, shall dwell 
within the walls ; but they that 
shall not repent, but shall con- 
tinue on in their wicked doings, 
shall die the death. 

60 As for those who had their 
rods green, but yet cleft ; they 
are such as w r ere always faithful 
and good, but they had some envy 
and strife among themselves con- 
cerning dignity and pre-emi- 
nence. 

61 Now all such are vain and 
without understanding, as con- 
tend with one another about these 
things. 

62 Nevertheless, seeing they 
are otherwise good, if when they 
shall hear these commands they 



shall amend themselves, and shall 
at my persuasion suddenly re- 
pent; they shall at last dwell in 
the tower, as they who have truly 
and worthily repented. 

63 But if any one shall again 
return to his dissension ; he shall 
be shut out from the tower, and 
shall lose his life. For the life 
of those who keep the command- 
ments of the Lord consists in 
doing what they are commanded ; 
not in principality, or in any 
other dignity. 

64 For by forbearance and 
humility of mind, men shall 
attain unto life ; but by seditions 
and contempt of the law, they 
shall purchase death unto them- 
selves. 

65 Tf They who in their rods 
had half dry and half green, are 
those who are engaged in many 
affairs of the world, and are not 
joined to the saints. For which 
cause half of them liveth, and 
half is dead. 

66 Wherefore many of these 
since the time that they have 
heard my commands, have re- 
pented, and begun to dwell in 
the tower. But some of them 
have wholly fallen aw ; ay ; to 
these there is no more place for 
repentance. 

67 For by reason of their 
present interests, they have 
blasphemed and denied God : 
and for this wickedness they 
have lost life. And of these 
many are still in doubt; these 
may yet return ; and if they 
shall quickly repent, they shall 
have a place in the tower ; but 
if they shall be more slow, they 
shall dwell within the walls ; but 
if they shall not repent, they 
shall die. 

68 As for those who had two 



1 Lamb. MS. Quamplurimis generibus inficiati. 



245 



Of the elect, and 



III. HERMAS. 



their rewards. 



parts of their rods green, and the 
third dry ; they have by mani- 
fold way- denied the Lord. Of 

these many have repented, and 
found a place in the tower: and 
many have altogether departed 
from God. These have utterly 
lost life. 

69 Aud some being in a doubt- 
ful state, have raised up dissen- 
sions: these may yet return, if 
they shall suddenly repent and 
not continue in their lusts ; but 
if they shall continue in their 
evil doing they shall die. 

70 Tf They who gave in their 
rods tw T o parts dry, and the other 
green ; are those who have indeed 
•been faithful, but withal rich and 
full of good things ; and there- 
upon have desired to be famous 
among the heathen which are 
without, and have thereby fallen 
into great pride, and begun to 
aim at high matters, and to for- 
sake the truth. 

71 Nor were they joined to 
the l saints, but lived with the 
heathen ; and this life seemed 
the more pleasant to them. Ho w- 
beit they have not departed from 
God, but continued in the faith ; 
only they have not wrought the 
works of faith. 

72 Many therefore of these 
have repented, and begun to 
dwell in the tower. Yet others 
still living among the heathen 
people, and being lifted up with 
their vanities, have utterly fallen 
away from God, and followed the 
works and wickednesses of the 
heathen. These kind of men 
therefore are reckoned among 
strangers to the Gospel. 

73 Others of these began to 
be doubtful in their minds ; de- 
spairing by reason of their 
wicked doings ever to attain un- 



to salvation : Others being thus 
made doubtful, did moreover 
stir up dissensions. 

74 To these therefore, and to 
those who by reason of their do- 
ings are become doubtful, there 
is still hope of return ; but they 
must repent quickly, that their 
place maybe in the tower. J3ut 
they that repent not, but con- 
tinue still in their pleasures, are 
nigh unto death. 

75 If As for those who gave 
in their rods green, excepting 
their tops, which only were dry, 
and had clefts ; these were al- 
ways good, and faithful, and 
3 upright before God : neverthe- 
less they sinned a little, by rea- 
son of their empty pleasures and 
trifling thoughts which they had 
within themselves. 

76 Wherefore many of them 
when they heard my words, re- 
pented forthwith, and began to 
dwell in the tower. Neverthe- 
less some grew doubtful, and 
others to their doubtful minds 
added dissensions. To these 
therefore there is still hope of 
return, because they were al- 
ways good ; but they shall not 
hardly be moved. 

77 As for those, lastly, who 
gave in their rods dry, their 
tops only excepted, which alone 
were green : they are such as 
have believed indeed in God, 
but have lived in wickedness : 
yet without departing from God : 
having always willingly borne 
the name of the Lord ; and 
readily received into their houses 
the servants of God. 

78 Wherefore hearing these 
things they returned, and with- 
out delay repented, and lived in 
all righteousness. And some of 
them suffered death : others 



1 Righteous. 



246 



Probi. 



Of the elect, and 



SIMILITUDE IX. 



their rewards. 



readily underwent many trials, 
being mindful of their evil do- 
ings. 

79 If And when he had ended 
his explications of all the rods, 
he said unto me, Go, and say 
unto all men that they repent, 
and they shall live unto God : be- 
cause the Lord being moved with 
great clemency hath sent me to 
preach repentance unto all. 

80 Even unto those who by 
reason of their evil doings, de- 
serve not to attain unto salva- 
tion. But the Lord will be pa- 
tient, and keep the invitation 
that was made by his Son. 

811 said unto him, Sir, I hope 
that all when they shall hear 
these things, will repent. For I 
trust that everyone acknowledg- 
ing his crimes, and taking up 
the fear of the Lord, will return 
unto repentance. 

82 He said unto me, Whoso- 
ever shall repent with all their 
hearts, and cleanse themselves 
from all the evils that I have 
before mentioned, and not add 
anything more to their sins, shall 
receive from the Lord the cure 
of their former iniquities, if they 
shall not make any doubt of 
these commands, and shall live 
unto God. 

83 But they that shall con- 
tinue to add to their transgres- 
sions, and shall still converse 
with the lusts of the present 
world, shall condemn themselves 
unto death. But do thou walk 
in these commands, and whoso- 
ever shall walk in these, and ex- 
ercise them rightly, shall live 
unto God. 

84 And having shewed me all 
these things, he said ; I will 
shew thee the rest in a few days. 



SIMILITUDE IX. 

The greatest mysteries of the militant 
and triumphant church which is to 
be built. 

AFTER I had written the 
Commands and Similitudes 
of the Shepherd, the Angel of 
Repentance ; he came unto me, 
and said to me, I will shew thee 
all those things which the Spir- 
it spake with thee under the 
figure of the Church. For that 
Spirit is the Son of God. 

2 And because thou wert 
weak in body, it was not declared 
unto thee by the angel, until 
thou wert strengthened by the 
Spirit, and increased in force, that 
thou mightestalso see the angel. 

3 For then indeed the build- 
ing of the tower was very well 
and gloriously shewn unto thee 
by the church ; nevertheless thou 
sawest all things shewn unto thee 
as it were by a virgin. 

4 But now thou art enlight- 
ened by the angel, but yet by 
the same Spirit. But thou must 
consider all things diligently; 
for therefore am I sent into thy 
house by that venerable Messen- 
ger, that when thou shalt have 
seen all things powerfully, thou 
mayest not be afraid as before. 

5 And he led me to the 
3 height of a mountain in Arca- 
dia, and we sat upon its top. 
And he showed me a great plain, 
and about it twelve mountains 
in different figures. 

6 The first was black as soot. 
The second was smooth, without 
herbs. The third was full of 
thorns and thistles. The fourth 
had herbs half dried ; of which 
the upper part was green, but 
that next the root was dry ; and 



1 See above, Book I. 



Angel. 



3 Ascent. 



247 



Of the mysteries 



III. IIERMAS. 



of the church 



some of the herbs, when the sun 
grew hot, were dry. 

7 The fifth mountain was 
very ragged ; but yet had green 

herbs. The sixth mountain was 
full of clefts, some lesser, and 
some greater ; and in these clefts 
grew grass, not flourishing, but 
which seemed to be withering. 

8 The seventh mountain had 
delightful pasture, and was 
wholly fruitful : and all kinds 
of cattle, and of the birds of 
heaven, fed upon it ; and the 
more they fed of it, the more 
and better did the grass grow. 

9 The eighth mountain was 
full of fountains, and from those 
fountains were watered all kinds 
of the creatures of God. The 
ninth mountain had no water at 
all, but was wholly destitute of 
it; and nourished deadly ser- 
pents, and destructive to men. 

10 The tenth mountain was 
full of tall trees, and altogether 
shady : and under the shade of 
them lay cattle resting and chew- 
ing the cud. 

11 The eleventh mountain was 
full of the thickest trees ; and 
those trees seemed to be loaded 
with several sorts of fruits ; that 
whosoever saw them could not 
choose but desire to eat of their 
fruit. 

12 The twelfth mountain was 
altogether white, and of a most 
pleasant aspect, and itself gave 
a most excellent beauty to itself. 

13 <j[ In the middle of the 
1 plain he showed me a huge 
white rock, which rose out of the 
plain, and the rock was higher 
than those mountains, and was 
square ; so that it seemed capable 
of supporting the whole world. 

14 It looked to me to be old, 
yet it had in it a new gate, which 



seemed to have been newly hewn 
out in it. Now that gate was 
bright beyond the sun itself; in- 
BOXnuch, that I greatly admired 
at its light. 

15 About the gate stood twelve 
virgins; of which four that stood 
at the corners of the gate, seemed 
to me to be the chiefest, although 
the rest were also of worth : and 
they stood at the four parts of 
the gate. 

16 It added also to the grace 
of those virgins, that they stood 
in pairs, clothed with linen gar- 
ments, and decently girded, their 
right arms being at liberty, as if 
they were about to lift up some 
2 burthen ; for so they were 
adorned, and were exceeding 
cheerful and ready. 

17 When I saw this, I won- 
dered with myself to see such 
great and noble things. And 
again I admired upon the account 
of those virgins, that they were 
so handsome and delicate ; and 
stood with such firmness and 
constancy, as if they would carry 
the whole heaven. 

18 And as I was thinking 
thus within myself, the shepherd 
said unto me : What thinkest 
thou within thyself, and art dis- 
quieted, and fillest thyself with 
care? 

19 Do not seem to consider, 
as if thou wert wise, what thou 
doest not understand, but pray 
unto the Lord, that thou mayest 
have ability to understand it : 
what is to come thou canst not 
understand, but thou seest that 
which is before thee. 

20 Be not therefore disquieted 
at those things which thou canst 
not see ; but get the understand- 
ing of those which thou seest. 

21 Forbear to be curious ; and 



1 Origen, Horn. iii. in. Ezech. 2 Fascem aliquem. Lat. 
248 



militant and 



SIMILITUDE IX. 



triumphant. 



I will shew thee all things that 
I ought to declare unto thee ; but 
first consider what yet remains. 

22 Tf And when he had said 
this unto me I looked up, and 
behold I saw six tall and vene- 
rable men coming; their coun- 
tenances were all alike ; and they 
called a certain multitude of 
men ; and they who came at 
their call were also tall and stout. 

23 And those six commanded 
them to build a certain tower 
over that gate. And immediately 
there began to be a great noise 
of those men running here and 
there about the gate, who were 
come together to build the tower. 

24 But those virgins whi.ch 
stood about the gate perceived 
that the building of the tower 
was to be hastened by them. 
And they stretched out their 
hands, as if they were to receive 
somewhat from them to do. 

25 Then those six men com- 
manded, that they should lift up 
stones out of a certain deep 
place, and prepare them for the 
building of the tower. And 
there were lifted up ten white 
stones, square, and *not cut 
round. 

26 Then those six men called 
the ten virgins to them,, and 
commanded them to carry all 
the stones that were to be put 
into the building and having 
carried them through the gate 
to deliver them to those that 
were about to build the tower. 

27 Immediately the virgins 
began all of them together to 
lift up those stones, that were 
before taken out of the deep. 

28 T And they who also stood 
about the gate did carry stones 
in such a manner, that those 
stones which seemed to be the 



strongest were laid at the corners, 
the rest were put into the sides. 

29 And thus they carried all 
the stones, and bringing them 
through the gate delivered them 
to the builders, as they had been 
commanded : who receiving them 
at their hands, built with them. 

30 But this building was made 
upon that great rock, and over 
the gate ; and by these the whole 
tower was supported. But the 
building of the ten stones filled 
the whole gate, which began to 
be made for the foundation of 
that tower. 

31 After those ten stones did 
five and twenty others 2 rise up 
out of the deep ; and these were 
placed in the building of the 
same tower ; being lifted up by 
those virgins, as the others had 
been before. 

32 After these did five and 
thirty others 2 rise up; and these 
were also in like manner fitted 
into the same work. Then forty 
other stones were brought up, 
and all these were added unto 
the building of that tower. 

33 So there began to be four 
ranks in the foundation of that 
tower ; and the stones ceased to 
2 rise out of the deep ; and they 
also which built rested a little. 

34 Again those six men com- 
manded the multitude, that they 
should bring stones out of those 
twelve mountains to the building 
of the same tower. 

35 So they cut out of all the 
mountains stones of divers col- 
ours, and brought them and gave 
them to the virgins ; which when 
they had received they carried 
them, and delivered them into 
the building of the tower, 

36 In which when they were 
built they became white, and 



1 So Cotelerius in loc. 



2 MS. Lamb. Ascenderunt. 
249 



Of the mi! 



III. HERMAS. 



of the church 



differenl from what they were 
before; for they were all alike, 
and did change their former 
colours. And some were reached 
up by the men themselves, which 
when they came into the build- 
ing, continued such as they were 
put in. 

37 These neither became white, 
nor different from what they 
were before ; because they were 
not carried by the virgins through 
the gate. Wherefore these stones 
were disagreeable in the build- 
ing : which, when those six men 
perceived, they commanded them 
to be removed, and put again in 
the place from which they were 
brought. 

38 And they said to those who 
brought those stones ; Do not ye 
reach up to us any stones for 
this building, but lay them down 
by the tower, and these virgins 
may carry them and reach them 
to us. 

39 For unless they shall be 
carried by these virgins through 
this gate, they cannot change 
their colours; therefore do not 
labour in vain. 

40 Tf So the building that day 
was done, howbeit the tower was 
not finished ; for it was after- 
wards to be built, therefore now 
also there was some delay made 
of it, 

41 And these six men com- 
manded those that built to depart, 
and as it were to rest for some 
time ; but they ordered those vir- 
gins that they should not depart 
from the tower; now they seem- 
ed to me to be left for the guard- 
ing of it. 

42 When all were departed, I 
said unto that shepherd ; Sir, 
why is not the building of the 
tower finished ? Because it can- 
not, said he, be finished until its 
Lord comes, and approves of the 

250 



I building; that if he shall find 
any .-tones in it that ar 
good they may be changed ; 
this tower is built according to 

his will. 

43 Sir, said I, I would know 
what the building of this tower 

signifies ; as also I would be in- 
formed concerning this rock, and 
this gate. 

44 And concerning the moun- 
tains, and the virgins, and the 
stones that did rise out of the 
deep, and were not cut, but put 
into the building just as they 
came forth ; and why the ten 
stones were first laid in the 
foundation ; then the twenty-five; 
then thirty five ; then forty? 

45 Also concerning these 
stones that were put into the 
building, and again taken out, 
and carried back into their 
place? Fulfil, I pray, the de- 
sire of my soul as to all these 
things and manifest all unto 
me. 

46 And he said unto me ; If 
thou shalt not be dull, thou shalt 
know all, and shalt see all the 
other things that are about to 
happen in this tower ; and shalt 
understand diligently all these 
similitudes. 

47 And after a few days we 
came 'into the same place where 
we had sat before ; and he said 
unto me, Let us go unto the 
tower ; for the Lord of it will 
come and examine it. 

48 So we came thither, and 
found none but tho e virgins 
there. And he asked them 
whether the Lord of that tower 
was come thither ? And they 
replied, that he would be there 
presently to examine the build- 
ing. 

49 ^ After a very little while 
I saw a great multitude of men 
coming, and in the middle of 



militant 



SIMILITUDE IX. 



and triumphant. 



them a man so tall, that he sur- 
passed the tower in * height. 

50 About him were those six, 
who before commanded in the 
building, and all the rest of those 
who had built that tower, and 
many others of great dignity : 
and the virgins that kept the j 
tower ran to meet him, and kissed j 
him, and began to walk near | 
unto him. 

51 But he examined the build- 
ing with so much care that he 
handled every stone ; and struck 
every one with a rod which he 
held in his hand : 

52 Of which some being so 
struck turned black as soot ; 
others were rough ; some looked 
as if they had cracks in them ; 
others seemed maimed : some 
neither black nor white ; some 
looked sharp, and agreed not 
with the other stones, and others 
were full of spots. 

53 These were the several 
kinds of those stones which were 
not found proper in the build- 
ing ; all which the Lord com- 
manded to be taken out of the 
tower, and laid near it, and other 
stones to be brought and put in 
their places. 

54 And they that built, asked 
him from which of the moun- 
tains he would have stones 
brought to put in the place of 
those. that were laid aside. But 
he forbad them to bring any 
from the mountains, and com- 
manded that they should take 
out of a certain field that was 
near. 

55 So they digged in the field, 
and found many bright square 
stones, and some also that were 
round. Howbeit, all that were 
found in that field were taken 
away, and carried through the 



gate by those virgins ; and those 
of them that were square were 
fitted and put into the places of 
those that were pulled out. 

56 But the round ones were 
not put into the building, because 
they were hard, and it would 
have required too much time to 
cut them ; but they were placed 
about the tower, as if they should 
hereafter be cut square, and put 
into the building ; for they were 
very wdiite. 

57 T When he who was chief 
in dignity, and lord of the whole 
tower saw this, he called to him 
the shepherd that was with me 
and gave him the stones that 
were rejected and laid about the 
tower and said unto him; cleanse 
these stones with all care, and 
fit them into the building of the 
tower, that they may agree with 
the rest ; but those that will not 
suit with the rest, cast away afar 
off from the tower. 

58 When he had thus com- 
manded him, he departed, with 
all those that came with him to 
the tower: but those virgins still 
stood about the tower to keep it. 

59 And I said unto that shep- 
herd, How can these stones, see- 
ing they have been rejected, re- 
turn into the building of this 
tower? He replied; I will cut 
off the greatest part from these 
stones, and will add them to the 
building, and they will agree 
with the rest. 

60 And I said, Sir, how will 
they be able to fill the same 
place, when they shall be so 
much cut away ? He answered ; 
They that shall be found too lit- 
tle shall be put into the middle 
of the building, and the greater 
shall be placed without, and keep 
them in. 



1 Greatness. 



251 



Of the mysteries 



III. HERMAS. 



of the church 



61 When he had said thus 
unto me, he added; Let US go, 
and after three days we will re- 
turn, and I will put these stones, 
being cleansed, into the tower. 

62 For all these that are 
about the tower must bo cleansed, 
lest the master of the house 
chance to come upon the sudden, 
and find those which are about 
the tower unclean ; l and be so 
exasperated, that these stones 
should never be put into the build- 
ing of this tower, and I shall be 
looked upon to have been 2 un- 
mindful of my master's com- 
mands. 

63 When therefore we came 
after three days to the tower, he 
said unto me ; Let us examine 
all these stones, and let us see 
which of them may go into the 
building. I answered, Sir, let 
us see. 

64 1 And first of all we be- 
gun to consider those which had 
been black ; for they were found 
just such as they were when they 
were pulled out of the tower : 
wherefore he commanded them 
to be removed from the tower 
and put by themselves. 

65 Then he examined those 
which had been rough ; and 
commanded many of those to be 
cut round, and to be fitted by 
the virgins into the building of 
the tower; so they took them, 
and fitted them into the middle 
of the building ; and he com- 
manded the rest to be laid by 
with the black ones, for they 
also were become black. 

66 Next he considered those 
which were full of cracks, and 
many of those also he ordered 
to be pared away, and so to be 
added to the rest of the build- 
ing, by the same virgins. 



67 These were placed without 
because they were found entire; 
but the residue through the mul- 
titude of their cracks could not 
be reformed, and therefore were 
east away from the building of 
the tower. 

68 Then he considered those 
that had been maimed ; many of 
these had cracks, and were be- 
come black ; others were large 
clefts; these he commanded to 
be placed with those that were 
rejected. 

69 But the rest being cleansed 
and reformed, he commanded to 
be put in the building. These 
therefore those virgins took up, 
and fitted into the middle of the 
building, because they were but 
weak. 

70 After these he examined 
those which w 7 ere found half 
white and half black ; and many 
of those were now black ; these 
also he ordered to be laid among 
those that were cast away. 

71 The rest were found alto- 
gether white; those w 7 ere taken 
up by the virgins, and fitted into 
the same tower : 3 and these were 
put in the outside, because they 
were found entire ; that so they 
might keep in those that were 
placed in the middle, for nothing 
w T as cut off from them. 

72 Next he looked upon those 
4 which had been hard and sharp ; 
but few of these were made use 
of, because they could not be cut, 
for they were found very hard : 
but the rest were formed, and 
fitted by the virgins into the 
middle of the building, because 
they were more weak. 

73 Then he considered those 
which had spots ; of these a few 
were found black, and these were 
carried to their fellows. The rest 



1 MS. Lamb. Tta exasperetur, at hi lapides. 2 MS. Lamb. Negligent, patris- 
familias. 3 Vid. MS. Lamb. Edit. Oxon. p. 157. 4 MS. Lamb. Fucrant. 
252 



militant 



SIMILITUDE IX. 



and triumphant. 



were white and entire ; and they I 
were fitted by the virgins into the j 
building, and placed in the out- 
side, by reason of their strength. 

74 *j[ After this he came to 
consider those stones which were 
white and round: and he said 
unto me, What shall we do with 
these stones ? I answered, Sir, I 
cannot tell. 

75 He replied, Canst thou 
think of nothing then for these ? 
I answered, Sir, I understand 
not this art ; neither am I a 
stone-cutter, nor can I tell any 
thing. 

76 And he said, seest thou 
not that they are very round ? 
Now to make them square, I 
must cut off a great deal from 
them ; howbeit, it is necessary 
that some of these should go into 
the building of the tower. 

77 I answered ; If it be neces- 
sary, why do you perplex your- 
self, and not rather choose, if you 
have any choice among them, 
and fit them into the building. 

78 Upon this he chose out the 
largest and brightest, and 
squared them ; which when he had 
done the virgins took them up, 
and placed them in the outside 
of the building. 

79 And the rest that re- 
mained were carried back into 
the same field from which they 
were taken ; howbeit, they were 
not cast away; because, said he, 
there is not yet a little wanting 
to this tower, which is to be built; 
and perhaps the Lord will have 
these stones fitted into this build- 
ing, because they are exceeding 
white. 

80 Then were there called 
twelve very stately women, 
clothed with a black garment, 
girded, and their shoulders free, 



and their hair loose. These 
seemed to me to be country wo- 
men. 

81 And the shepherd com- 
manded them to take up those 
stones which were cast out of the 
building, and carry them back to 
the mountains out of which they 
were taken. 

82 And they took them all up 
joyfully, and carried them back / 
to their places from whence they * 
had been taken. 

83 When not one stone re- 
mained about the tower, he said 
unto me, Let us go about this 
tower, and see whether any thing 
be wanting to it. 

84 We began therefore to go 
round about it ; and when he saw 
that it was handsomely built, he 
began to be very glad ; for it 
was so beautifully framed, that 
any one that had seen it must 
have been in love with the build- 
ing: 

85 For it seemed to be all but 
one stone, nor did a joint any- 
where appear ; but it looked as 
if it had all been cut out of one 
rock. 

86 If And when I diligently 
considered what a tower it was, 
I was extremely pleased : and he 
said unto me, Bring hither some 
lime and little shells, that I may 
fill up the * spaces of those stones 
that were taken out of the build- 
ing, and put in again ; for all 
things about the tower must be 
made even. 

87 And I did as he command- 
ed me, and he said unto me, Be / 
ready to help me, and this work/ 
will quickly be finished. 

88 He therefore filled up tl 
spaces of those stones, and com- 
manded the place about the 
tower to be cleansed. 



1 Formas. Lat. 



253 



Of the mysteries 



III. BERMAS. 



of the church 



89 Then those virgins took 
besoms and cleansed alJ the place 
around and took away all the rub" 
bish, and threw water on; which 
being done, the place became de- 
lightful, and the tower beauteous. 

90 Then he said unto me, All 
is now clean : if the Lord should 
come to finish the tower, he will 
find nothing whereby to com- 
plain of us. 

91 When he had said this he 
would have departed. But I 
laid hold on his bag, and began 
to entreat him for the Lord's 
sake, that he would explain to 
me all things that he had shown 
me. 

92 He said unto me, I have 
at present a little business ; but 
I will suddenly explain all things 
unto thee. Tarry here for me 
till I come. 

93 I said unto him, Sir, what 
shall I do here alone? He an- 
swered, Thou art not alone, see- 
ing all these virgins are with 
thee. 

94 I said, Sir, deliver me then 
unto them. Then he called them 
and said unto them, I commend 
this man unto you until I shall 
come. 

95 So I remained with those 
virgins : now they were cheerful 
and courteous unto me ; especial- 
ly the four, which seemed to be 
the chiefest among them. 

96 Tf Then those virgins said 
unto me, that shepherd will not 
return hither to day. I said 
unto them, What then shall I 
do? They answered, Tarry for 
him till the evening, if perhaps 
he may come and speak with 
thee ; but if not, yet thou shalt 
continue with us till he does 
come. 

97 I said unto them, I will 
tarry for him till evening ; but if 
he comes not by that time, I will 



fa 



go home, and return hither again 
the next morning. 

98 They answered me, Thou 

art delivered unto us, thou mayest 
not depart from us. I said, Where 

shall 1 tarry? 

99 They replied, Thou shalt 
sleep with us as a brother, not 
as a husband : for thou art our 
brother, and we are ready from 
henceforth to dwell with thee ; 
for thou art very dear to us. 

100 Howbeit I was ashamed 
to continue with them. But she 
that seemed to be the chiefest 
amongst them, embraced me, and 
began to kiss me. And the rest 
when they saw that I was kissed 
by her, began also to kiss me as 
a brother ; and led me about the 
tow x er, and played with me. 

101 Some of them also sung 
psalms, others made up the 
chorus with them. But I walked 
aboutthe tower with them, rejoic- 
ing silently, and seeming to 
myself to be grown young 
again. 

102 When the evening came 
on, I would forthwith have gone 
home, but they withheld me, and 
suffered me not to depart. Where- 
fore I continued with them that 
night near the same tower. 

103 So they spread their linen 
garments upon the ground ; and 
placed me in the middle, nor did 
they anything else, only they 
prayed. 

104 I also prayed with them 
without ceasing, nor less than 
they. Who when they saw me 
pray in that manner, rejoiced 
greatly; and I continued there 
with them till the next day. 

105 And when we had wor- 
shipped God, then the shepherd 
came and said unto them : You 
have done no injury to this man. 
They answered, Ask him. I said 
unto him, Sir, I have received a 



254 



militant 



SIMILITUDE IX. 



tnd triumphant 



great deal of satisfaction in that 
1 have remained with them. 

106 And he said unto me, How 
didst thou sup ? I answered, Sir, 
I feasted the whole night upon 
the words of the Lord. They 
received thee well then, said he ; 
I said, feir, very well. 

107 He answered, Wilt thou 
now learn what thou didst desire? 
I replied, Sir, I will: and first I 
pray thee that thou shouldest 
shew me all things in the order 
that I asked them. 

108 He answered, I will do all 
as thou wouldst have me, nor will 
I hide anything from thee. 

109^ First of all, ^ir, said I, 
tell me, what this rock, and this 
gate denote ? Hearken, said he ; 
this rock, and this gate, are the 
Son of God. I replied, Sir, how 
can that be; seeing therockis old, 
but the gate new. 

110 Hear, said he, O foolish 
man ! and understand. The Son 
of God is indeed more ancient 
than any creature; 1 insomuch 
that he was in council with his 
Father at the creation of 2 all 
things. 

111 But the gate is therefore 
new, because he appeared in the 
last days in the fulness of time ; 
that they who shall attain unto 
salvation, may by it enter into 
the kingdom of God. 

112 You have seen, said he, 
those stones which were carried 
through the gate, how they were 
placed in the building of the 
tower; but that those which were 
not carried through the gate, 
were sent away into their own 
places ? 

113 I answered, Sir, I saw it. 
Thus, said he, no man shall enter 
into the kingdom of God, but he 
who shall take upon him the 
name of the Son of God. 

1 Ita ut. Lat. 



114 For if you would enter 
into any city, and that city should 
be encompassed with a wall, and 
had only one gate, could you 
enter into that city except by 
that gate? 

115 I answered, Sir, how could 
I do otherwise? As therefore, said 
he, there w T ould be no other way 
of entering into that city but by 
its gate, so neither can any one 
enter into the kingdom of God, 
but only by the name of his Son, 
who is most dear unto him. 

116 And he said unto me, 
Didst thou see the multitude of 
those that built that tower ? Sir, 
said I, I saw it. He answered, 
All those are the angels, vener- 
able in their dignity. 

117 With those is the Lord 
encompassed as with a wall : but 
the gate is the Son of God, who 
is the only way of coming unto 
God. For no man shall go to 
God, but by his Sen. 

118 Thou sawest also, said he, 
the six men, and in the middle 
of them that venerable great 
man, who walked about the 
tower, and rejected the stones 
out of the tower ? 

119 Sir, said I, I saw them. 
He answered, that tall man was 
the Son of God : and those six 
were his angels of most eminent 
dignity, which stand about him 
on the right hand and on the 
left, 

120 Of these excellent angels 
none comes in unto God wuthout 
him. He added, Whosoever 
therefore shall not take upon 
him his name, he shall not enter 
into the kingdom of God. 

121 T Then I said, What is 
this tower ? This, said he, is the 
church. And what, Sir, are 
these virgins? He said unto me, 
These are the holy spirits, for no 



2 The creatures. 



255 



Oj the must, ries 



III. HERMAS. 



of the church 



man can enter into the kingdom 
of God, except these clothe him 
with their garment. 

122 For it will avail thee 
nothing to take up the name of 
the Son of God, unless thou shah 
also receive their garment from 
them. For these virgins are the 
powers of the Son of God. So 
shall a man in vain bear his 
name, unless he shall be also en- 
dued with his powers. 

123 And he said unto me, 
sawest thou those stones that 
were cast away? They bore in- 
deed the name, but put not on 
their garment. I said, Sir, what 
is their garment ? l Their very 
names, said he, are their garment. 

124 Therefore whosoever bear- 
eth the name of the Son of God, 
ought to bear their names also; 
for the Son of God also himself 
beareth their names. 

125 As for those stones, con- 
tinued he, which being delivered 
by their hands, thou sawest re- 
main in the building, they were 
clothed with their power ; for 
which cause thou seest the whole 
tower of the same 2 colour with 
the rock, and made as it were of 
one stone. 

126 So also those who have 
believed in God by his Son, have 
put on his spirit. Behold there 
shall be one spirit, and one body, 
and one colour of their garments ; 
and all they shall attain this, 
who shall bear the names of these 
virgins. 

127 And I said, Sir, why then 
were those stones cast away which 
were rejected, seeing they also 
were carried through the gate, 
and delivered by the hands of 
these virgins into the building of 
this tower ? 



128 Seeing,said he, thou takest 
care to inquire diligently into 
all things, hear also concerning 

| those stones which were rejected. 
All these received the name of 
the Son of God, and with that 
the power of these virgins. 

129 Having therefore received 
these spirits, the} were perfect- 
ed, and brought into the number 
of the servants of God ; and 
they began to be one body, and 
to have one garment, for they 

| were 3 endued with the same 
righteousness, which they alike 
exercised. 

130 But after that they be- 
held those women which thou 
sawest clothed with a black gar- 
ment, with their shoulders at 
liberty and their hair loose ; 
they fixed their desires upon 
them, being tempted with their 
beauty ; and were clothed with 
their power, and cast off the 
clothing of the virgins : 

131 Therefore were they cast 
off from the house of God, and 
delivered to those women. But 
they that were not corrupted 
with their beauty, remained in 
the house of God. This, said 
he, is the signification of those 
stones which were rejected. 

132 T And I said, Sir, what 
if any of these men shall repent, 
and cast away their desire of 
those women, and be converted, 
and return to these virgins, and 
put on again their virtue ; shall 
they not enter into the house of 
God? 

133 They shall enter, said he, 
if they shall lay aside all the 
works of those women, and shall 
resume the power of these virgins, 
and shall walk in their works. 

134 And for this cause there 



1 Vid. Annot. Edit. Oxon. p. 116, d. 2 Vid. Origen. Philocal. c viii. 

3 Sentiebant sequitatem, Lat. from the Greek e<ppovovv; but the true reading 
of Her mas seeineth to have been o^npovv. 

256 




1 i 

5 7. 

O < 

O Z. 



i \ 

H £ 

O C 

"5 U 



militant 



SIMILITUDE IX. and triumphant 



is a stop in the building, that if 
they shall repent, they may be 
added to the build ing of this 
tower; but if they shall not re- 
pent, that others may be built 
in their places, and so they may 
be utterly cast away. 

135 For all these things I 
gave thanks unto the Lord, that 
being moved with mercy towards 
all those upon whom his name is 
called, he sent to us the angel of 
repentance to preside over us 
who have sinned against him ; 
and that he has refreshed our spir- 
its which were almost gone, and 
who had no hope of salvation, 
but are now refreshed to the re- 
newal of life. 

136 Then I said, Shew me 
now, Sir, why this tower is not 
built upon the ground, but upon 
a rock, and upon the gate ? He 
replied, thou art foolish, and 
without understanding, therefore 
thou asketh this. 

137 And I said, Sir, I must 
needs ask all things of you, be- 
cause I understand nothing at 
all. For all your answers are 
great and excellent ; and which 
a man can hardly understand. 

138 Hear, said he : The name 
of the Son of God is great and 
without bounds, and the whole 
world is supported by it. If 
therefore, said I, every creature 
of God be sustained by his Son, 
why should he not support those 
also who have been invited by 
him, and who carry his name, 
and walk in his commandments ? 

139 Seest thou not, said he, 
that he doth support them, who 
with all their heart bear his 
name ? He therefore is their 
foundation, and gladly supports 
those who do not deny his name, 
but willingly bear it. 



140 *f And I said : Sir, tell me 
the names of these virgins ; and 
of those women that were clothed 
with the black garment. 

141 Hear, said he, the names 
of those virgins which are the 
more powerful, and stand at the 
corners of the gate. These are 
their names : 

142 The first is called 1 Faith; 
the second Continence ; the third, 
Power ; the fourth, Patience ; the 
rest which stand beneath these 
are, Simplicity, Innocence, Chas- 
tity, Cheerfulness, Truth, Under- 
standing, Concord, Charity. 

143 Whosoever therefore bear 
these names, and the names of 
the Son of God, shall enter into 
the kingdom of God. 

144 Hear now, said he, the 
names of those women, which 
were clothed with the black gar- 
ment. Of these, four are the 
principal : the first is Perfidious- 
ness ; the second, Incontinence ; 
the third, Infidelity ; the fourth, 
Pleasure. 

145 And the rest which fol- 
low are called thus, Sadness, 
Malice, Lust, Anger, Lying, 
Foolishness, Pride, and Hatred. 
The servant of God, which car- 
ries these spirits, shall see indeed 
the kingdom of God, but he 
shall not enter into it. 

146 But, Sir, what are those 
stones which were taken out of 
the deep and fitted into the 
building ? The ten, said he, 
which were placed at the founda- 
tion, are the first age ; the fol- 
lowing five and-twenty, the sec- 
ond, of righteous men. 

147 The next thirty-five, are 
the prophets and ministers of 
the Lord. And the forty, are 
the Apostles and doctors of the 
preaching of the Son of God. 



17 



Origin. Horn. 13, in Ezek. 



257 



Of the myei 



III. HERMAS. 



of the church 



148 And I said, Sir, why did 
the virgins put even those stones 
into the building after they were 
carried through the gate? And 
he said, Because these first car- 
ried those spirits, and they de- 
parted not one from the one, 
neither the men from the spirits, 
nor the spirits from the men : 

149 But the spirits were joined 
to those men even to the day of 
their death ; who if they had not 
had these spirits with them, they 
could not have been useful to 
the building of this tower. 

150 And I said, Sir, shew me 
this farther. He answered, What 
dost thou ask ? Why did these 
stones come out of the deep, and 
were placed into the building of 
this tower, seeing that they long 
ago carried those x holy spirits. 

151 *It was necessary, said 
he, for them to ascend by water, 
that they might be at rest. For 
they could not otherwise enter 
into the kingdom of God, but 
by laying aside the mortality of 
their former life. 

152 They therefore being dead, 
were nevertheless sealed with 
the seal of the Son of God, and 
so entered into the kingdom of 
God. 

153 For before a man receives 
the name of the Son of God, he 
is ordained unto death ; but 
when he receives that seal, he is 
freed from death, and 3 assigned 
unto life. 

154 Now that seal is the water 
of baptism, into which men go 
down under the obligation unto 
death, but come up appointed 
unto life. 

155 Wherefore to those also 
was this seal 4 preached, and they 



made use of it, that they might 
enter the kingdom of God. 

156 And 1 said, Why then, sir, 
did these forty stones also ascend 
with them out of the deep, hay- 
ing already received that seal ? 

157 He answered, 5 Because 
these Apostles and teachers, who 
preached the name of the Son of 
God, dying after they had re- 
ceived his faith and power, 
preached to them who were dead 
before ; and they gave this seal 
to them. 

158 They went down therefore 
into the water with them, and 
again came up. But these went 
down whilst they were alive, and 
came up again alive : whereas 
those who were before dead, went 
down dead, but came up alive ; 

159 Through these therefore 
they received life, and knew the 
Son of God : for which cause 
they came up with them, and 
w T ere fit to come into the build- 
ing of the tower ; and were not 
cut, but put in entire ; because 
they died in righteousness, and 
in great purity; only this seal 
was wanting to them. 

160 Thus you have the expli- 
cation of these things. 

161 Tf I answered: Sir, tell 
me now what concerns those 
mountains, why are they so dif- 
ferent ; some of one form, and 
some of another. 

162 Hear, said he ; These 
twelve mountains which thou 
seest, are twelve nations, which 
make up the whole world. 
Wherefore the Son of God is 
preached to them, by those w T hom 
he sent unto them. 

163 But why, said I, are they 
different, and every one of a 



1 Justoa, Righteous. 2 Vid. Edit. Oxon. p. 171, b. 3 Traditur, Delivered. 
4 Vid. Coteler. Annot. in loc. p. 77, 78. Comp. 1 Pet.iii 19. 6 Vid. Clein. 
Alex. Strom, ii. et vi. 

258 



militant 



SIMILITUDE IX. 



and triumphant. 



figure? He replied, Hearken. 
Those twelve nations which pos- 
sess the whole world, are twelve 
people. 

164 And as thou hast beheld 
these mountains different, so are 
they. I will therefore open to 
thee the meaning and actions of 
every mountain. 

165 But first, sir, said I, shew 
me this ; Seeing these mountains 
are so different, how have they 
agreed into the building of this 
tower ; and been brought to one 
colour; and are no less bright 
than those that came out of the 
deep ? 

166 Because, replied he, all 
the nations which are under hea- 
ven, have heard and believed in 
the same one name of the Son of 
God by w : hom they are called. 

167 Wherefore having re- 
ceived his seal, they have all 
been made partakers of the same 
1 understanding and 2 knowledge ; 
and their faith and charity have 
been the same ; and they have 
carried the spirits of these virgins 
together with his name. 

168 And therefore the build- 
ing of this tower appeared to be 
of the same colour, and did shine 
like the brightness of the sun. 

169 But after that they had 
thus agreed in one mind there 
began to be one body of them 
all; howbeit some of them pol- 
luted themselves, and w-ere cast 
off from the kind of the right- 
eous, and again returned to their 
former state, and became even 
worse than they were before. 

170 If How, said I, sir, were 
they worse w T ho knew the Lord ? 
He answered : If he who knows 
not the Lord liveth wickedly, 
the punishment of his wicked- 
ness attends him. 



171 But he who has known 
the Lord, ought to abstain alto- 
gether from all wickedness, and 
more and more to be the ser- 
vant of righteousness. 

172 And does not he then 
seem to thee to sin more who 
ought to follow goodness, if he 
shall prefer the part of sin ; than 
he w T ho offends without knowing 
the power of God? 

173 Wherefore these are in- 
deed ordained unto death ; but 
they w r ho have known the Lord, 
and have seen his wonderful 
works, if they shall live wicked- 
ly, they shall be doubly pun- 
ished, and shall die for ever. 

174 As therefore thou hast 
seen that after the stones were Cast 
out of the tower, which had been 
rejected ; they were delivered to 
wdcked and cruel spirits; and 
thou beheldest the tower so 
cleansed, as if it had all been 
made of one stone : 

175 3 So the church of God, 
when it shall be purified : (the 

4 wicked and counterfeits, the 

5 mischievous and doubtful, and 
all that have behaved themselves 
wickedly in it, and committed 
divers kinds of sin, being cast 
out) shall become one body, and 
there shall be one understanding, 
one opinion, one faith, and the 
same charity. 

176 And then shall the Son 
of God rejoice among them, and 
shall receive his people with a 
pure will. 

177 And I said; Sir, all these 
things are great and honourable ; 
but now shew unto me the effect 
and force of every mountain: 
that every soul which trusteth 
in the Lord, when it shall hear 
these things may honour his great, 
and wonderful, and holy name. 



1 Prudence. 2 Sense. 8 Lat. Virtutem. 



4 Vid. Orig. Philocal. c. viii. 5 Evil. 

259 



Of the mysU ries 



III. HERMA8. 



of the church 



178 Hear, said he, the variety 
of these mountains, that is, of 
the twelve nations. 

17J) ^ They who have believed 
of the first mountain, which is 
black, are those who have revolt- 
ed from the faith ; and spoken 
wicked tilings against the Lord ; 
and betrayed the servants of 
God. 

180 These are condemned to 
death, there is no repentance for 
them : and therefore they are 
black, because their kind is 
wicked. 

181 Of the second mountain 
which was smooth, are the 1 hy- 
pocrites, who have believed, and 
the teachers of naughtiness : and 
these are next to the foregoing, 
which have not in them the fruit 
of righteousness. 

182 For as their mountain is 
barren and without fruit ; so 
also such kind of men have in- 
deed the name of Christians, but 
are empty of faith ; nor is there 
any fruit of the truth in them. 

183 Nevertheless there is room 
left to them for repentance, if they 
shall suddenly pursue it : but if 
they shall delay, they also shall 
be partakers of death with the 
foregoing kind. 

184 I said, Sir, why is there 
room left to those for repentance, 
and not to the foregoing kind, 
seeing their sins are well nigh 
the same ? 

185 There is therefore, said he 
to these a return unto life by re- 
pentance, because they have not 
blasphemed against their Lord, 
nor betrayed the servants of 
God : but by their desire of gain 
have deceived men, leading them 
according to the lusts of sinners ; 
wherefore they shall suffer for 
this thing. 



186 Howbeit there is still left 
tlinn room for repentance, !><■- 
cause they have not spoken any 
thing wickedlv against the Lord. 

187 1 They who are of the 
third mountain which had thorns 
and brambles, are those who be- 
lieved, but were some of them 
rich, others taken up with many 
affairs : the brambles are their 
riches : the thorns, those affairs 
in which they were engaged. 

188 Now they who are en- 
tangled in much business, and 
in diversity of affairs, join not 
themselves to the servants of 
God, but wander, being called 
away by those affairs with which 
they are choked. 

189 And so they which are 
rich, with difficulty yield them- 
selves to the Conversation of the 
servants of God ; fearing lest any- 
thing should be asked of them. 
These therefore shall hardly en- 
ter into the kingdom of God. 

190 For as men walk with 
difficulty bare-foot over thorns, 
even so these kind of men shall 
scarcely enter into the kingdom 
of God. 

191 Nevertheless there is af- 
forded to all these a return unto 
repentance; if that they shall 
quickly return to it ; that because 
in their former days they have 

1 neglected to work, in the time 
that is to come they may do 
some good. 

192 If therefore having re- 
pented they shall do the works 
of righteousness, they shall live; 
but if they shall continue in their 
evil courses, they shall be deli- 

' vered to those women that will 
take away their life. 

193 If As for the fourth moun- 
tain, which had many herbs, the 

i upper part of which is green, 



1 Profligate. 

260 



3 Vid. Edit. Oxon., p. 178, Not. b. 



militant and 



SIMILITUDE IX. 



triumphant. 



but the roots dry, and some of 
which being touched with the 
heat of the sun are withered ; 

194 It denotes the doubtful, 
who have believed, and some 
others who carry the Lord in 
their tongues, but have him not 
in their heart: therefore their 
grass is dry, and without root ; 
because they live only in words, 
but their works are dead. 

195 These therefore are nei- 
ther dead nor living, and withal 
are doubtful. For the doubtful 
are neither green nor dry ; that 
is, neither dead nor alive. 

196 For as the herbs dry 
away at the sight of the sun ; so 
the doubtful as soon as they hear 
of persecution, and fear inconve- 
niences, return to their idols, 
and again serve them, and are 
ashamed to bear the name of 
their Lord. 

197 This kind of men then is 
neither dead nor alive; never- 
theless these also may live, if 
they shall presently repent; but 
if not, they shall be delivered to 
those women, who shall take 
away their life. 

198 T As concerning the fifth 
mountain that is craggy, and 
yet has green grass : they are of 
this kind who have believed, 
and are faithful indeed, but be- 
lieve with difficulty ; and are 
bold, and self conceited ; that 
would be thought to know all 
things, but really know nothing. 

199 Wherefore, by reason of 
this confidence, knowledge is de- 
parted from them; and a rash 
presumption is entered into them. 

200 But they carry themselves 
high, and as prudent men ; and 
though they are fools, yet would 
seem to be teachers. 

201 Now by reason of this 



folly many of them, whilst they 
magnify themselves, are become 
vain and empty. For boldness 
and vain confidence is a Wery 
evil spirit. 

202 Wherefore many of these 
are cast away; but others ac- 
knowledging their error, have 
repented, and submitted them- 
selves to those who are knowing. 

203 And to all the rest of this 
kind there is repentance allowed ; 
forasmuch as they were not so 
much wicked as foolish, as void 
of understanding. 

204 If these therefore shall 
repent, they shall live unto God ; 
but if not, they shall dwell with 
those women, who shall exercise 
their wickedness upon them. 

205 If For what concerns the 
sixth mountain having greater 
and lesser clefts, they are such as 
have believed ; but those in which 
were lesser clefts are they who 
have had controversies among 
themselves ; and by reason of 
their quarrels languish in the 
faith ; 

206 Nevertheless many of these 
have repented, and so will the 
rest when they shall hear my 
commands ; for their controver- 
sies are but small, and they will 
easily return unto repentance. 

207 But those who have the 
greater clefts, will be as stiff 
stones, mindful of grudges and 
offences, and full of anger among 
themselves. These therefore are 
cast from the tower, and refused 
to be put into its building ; for 
this kind of men shall hardly live. 

208 Our God and Lord, who 
ruleth over all things, and has 
power over all his creatures, will 
not remember our offences, but 
is easily appeased by those who 
confess their sins: but man being 



Magnum Dsemonium. 



261 



Of the mysteries 



III. HERMAS. 



of the church 



languid, mortal, infirm, and full | 
of Bins, perseveres in his anger 
against man; as if it were in his 
power to save or destroy him. 

209 But I, as the angel who 
am set over your repentance, 
admonish you, that whosoever 
among you has any such purpose 
lie should lay it aside, and return 
unto repentance; and the Lord 
will heal your former sins, if you 
shall purge yourselves from this 
evil spirit ; but if you shall not 
do it, ye shall be delivered to 
him unto death. 

210 Tf As for the seventh moun- 
tain in which the grass was green 
and flourishing, and the whole 
mountain faithful ; and all kind 
of cattle fed upon the grass of it, 
and the more the grass was eaten 
so much the more it flourished : 

211 They are such as believed, 
and were always good and up- 
right; and without any differ- 
ences among themselves, but still 
rejoiced in the servants of God, 
having put on the spirit of these 
virgins; and been always for- 
ward to shew mercy to all men, 
readily giving to all men of their 
labours without upbraiding, and 
without deliberation. 

212 Wherefore the Lord seeing 
their simplicity and 1 innocence, 
has increased them in the works 
of their hands, and given them 
grace in all their works. 

213 But I, who am the angel 
appointed over your repentance, 
exhort you, that as many as are 
of this kind would continue in 
the same purpose, that your seed 
may not be rooted out forever. 

214 For the Lord hath tried 
you, and written you into our 
number ; and all your seed shall 
dwell with the Son of God ; for 
ye are all of his spirit. 



21 5 If As concerning the eighth 
mountain in which were a great 
many springs, by which every 
kind of all the creatures of God 
was watered; they are such as 
have believed the Apostles which 
the Lord sent into all the world 
to preach ; 

216 And 2 some of them being 
teachers have preached and 
taught purely and sincerely, and 
have not in the least yielded to 
any evil desires, but have con- 
stantly walked in righteousness 
and truth. 

217 These therefore have their 
conversations among the angels. 

218 T Again ; as for what con- 
cerns the ninth mountain which 
is desert, and full of serpents ; 
they are such as have believed, 
but had many stains : 

219 These are such ministers 
as discharge their ministry amiss; 
ravishing away the goods of the 
widows and fatherless ; and serve 
themselves, not others, out of 
those things which they have 
received. 

220 These, if they continue in 
this covetousness, have delivered 
themselves unto death, nor shall 
there be any hope of life for 
them. But if they shall be con- 
verted, and shall discharge their 
ministry sincerely, they may 
live. 

221 As for those which were 
found rough, they are such as 
have denied the name of the 
Lord, and not returned again to 
the Lord, but have become sav- 
age and wild ; not applying them- 
selves to the servants of God ; 
but being separated from them, 
have for a little carelessness lost 
their lives. 

222 For as a vine that is for- 
saken in a hedge, and never 



1 Infancy. 2 MS. Lamb. 

262 



Et quidam Doctores caste : Omitting Qui. 



militant and 



SIMILITUDE IX. 



triumphant. 



dressed, perishes and is choked 
by the weeds, and in time be- 
comes wild, and ceases to be use- 
ful to its lord ; so this kind of 
men despairing of themselves, 
and being soured, have begun to 
be unproh" table to their Lord. 

223 Howbeit to these there is, 
after all, repentance allowed, if 
they shall not be found from 
their hearts to have denied 
Christ ; but if any of these shall 
be found to have denied him 
from his heart, I cannot tell 
whether such a one can attain 
unto life. 

224 I say therefore that if any 
one hath denied, he should in 
these days return unto repent- 
ance ; for it cannot be that any 
one who now denies the Lord, 
can afterwards attain unto sal- 
vation: nevertheless repentance 
is proposed unto them who have 
formerly denied. 

225 But he who will repent 
must hasten on his repentance, 
before the building of this tower 
is finished : otherwise he shall be 
delivered by those women unto 
death. 

226 But they that are maimed 
are the deceitful ; and those who 
mix with one another, these are 
the serpents that you saw min- 
gled in that mountain. 

227 For as the poison of ser- 
pents is deadly unto men ; so the 
words of such persons infect and 
destroy men. They are there- 
fore maimed in their faith, by 
reason of that kind of life which 
they lead. 

228 Howbeit some of them, 
having repented, have been 
saved, and so shall others of the 
same kind be also saved, if they 
shall repent; but if not, they 
shall die by those women whose 
power and force they possess. 

229 If For what concerns the 



tenth mountain, in which were 
the trees covering the cattle, 
they are such as have believed ; 
and some of them have been 
bishops, that is, governors of the 
churches. 

230 Others, are such stones as 
have not feignedly, but with a 
cheerful mind entertained the 
servants of God. 

231 Then such as have been 
set over inferior ministries ; and 
have protected the poor and the 
widows; and have always kept 
a chaste conversation : therefore 
they also are protected by the 
Lord. 

232 "Whosoever shall do on this 
wise, are honored with the Lord ; 
and their place is among the an- 
gels, if they shall continue to 
obey the Lord even unto the end. 

233 1 As to the eleventh 
mountain in which were trees 
loaded with several sorts of fruits, 
they are such as have believed, 
and suffered death, for the name 
of the Lord ; and have endured 
with a ready mind, and have 
given up their lives with all 
their hearts. 

234 And I said, Why then, 
sir, have all these fruit indeed, 
but yet some fairer than others ? 

235 Hearken, said he : Who- 
soever have suffered for the name 
of the Lord are esteemed honour- 
able by the Lord ; and all their 
offences are blotted out, because 
they have suffered death for the 
name of the Son of God. 

236 Hear now, why their 
fruits are different, and some of 
them excel others, they who be- 
ing brought before magistrates, 
and being asked, denied not the 
Lord, but suffered with a ready 
mind ; these are more honourable 
with the Lord. The fruits there- 
fore that are the most fair are 
these. 

263 



Of the myei 



III. HERMAS. 



of the church 



237 But they who were fear- 
ful and doubtful, and have de- 
liberated with themselves whe- 
ther they should confess or de- 
ny Christ, and yet have suffered ; 
their fruits are smaller, because 
that this thought came iuto their 
hearts. 

238 For it is a wicked and 
evil thought for a servant to de- 
liberate whether he should deny 
his master. Take heed therefore 
ye who have such thoughts, that 
this mind continue not in you, 
and ye die unto God. 

239 But ye who suffer death ! 
for his name sake, ought to hon- 1 
our the Lord, that he has es- 
teemed you worthy to bear his ! 
name ; and that you should be 
delivered from all your sins. 

240 And why therefore do 
you not rather esteem yourselves 
happy ? Yea think verily that if 
any one among you suffer, he I 
performs a great work ! For the 
Lord giveth you life, and ye ! 
understand it not. For your of- ! 
fences did oppress you ; and if 
ye had not suffered for his name 
sake, ye had now been dead unto 
the Lord, 

241 Wherefore I speak this 
unto you who deliberate whether 
ye should confess or deny him ; 
confess that ye have the Lord 
for your God ; lest at any time 
denying him, ye be delivered 
not into bonds. 

242 For all nations punish 
their servants which deny their 
masters ; what think you that the 
Lord will do unto you, who has 
the power of all things ? 

243 Remove therefore out of 
your hearts these doubts, that ye i 
may live forever unto God. 

244 As for the twelfth moun- 
tain, which was white, they are 
such as have believed like sincere 
children, into whose thoughts | 

264 



there never came any malice, 
nor have they ever known what 
sin was, but have always con- 
tinued in their integrity. 

245 Wherefore this kind of men 
shall without all doubt inherit 
the kingdom of God ; because 
they have never in any thing de- 
filed the commandments of God, 
but have continued with sincerity 
in the same condition all the days 
of their life. 

246 Whosoever therefore, said 
he, shall continue as children 
without malice; shall be more 
honourable than all those of 
whom I have yet spoken : for all 
such children are honoured by 
the Lord, and esteemed the first 
of all. 

247 Happy therefore are ye 
who shall remove all malice from 
you, and put on innocence ; be- 
cause ye shall first see the Lord. 

248 And after he had thus 
ended his explication of all the 
mountains, I said unto him, Sir, 
show me now also what concerns 
the stones that were brought out 
of the plain, and put into the 
tower in the room of those that 
were rejected : 

249 As also concerning those 
round stones which were added 
into the building of the tower : 
and also of those who still con- 
tinued round. 

250 T Hear now, says he, 
concerning those stones which 
were brought out of the plain 
into the building of the tower, 
and placed in the room of those 
that were rejected ; they are the 
roots of that white mountain. 

251 Wherefore because those 
who have believed of that moun- 
tain were very innocent ; the lord 
of this tower commanded that 
they which were of the roots of 
this mountain should be placed 
into the building. 



militant 



SIMILITUDE IX. and triumphant. 



25- For he knew that if they 
were put into this building they 
would continue bright ; nor would 
any of them any more be made 
black. 

*2o3 But if he had added on 
this manner from the rest of the 
mountains, he would 1 almost have 
needed again to visit the tower 
and to cleanse it. 

254 Now all these white stones 
are the young men who have be- 
lieved, or shall believe ; for they 
are all of the same kind. Happy 
is this kind, because it is inno- 
cent. 

255 Hear now also concerning 
those round and bright stones: 
all these are of this white moun- 
tain. But they are therefore 
found round, because their riches 
have a little darkened them from 
the truth and dazzled their eyes : 

256 Hovvbiit they have never 
departed from the Lord, nor has 
any wicked word proceeded out 
of their mouths ; but all righteous- 
ness, and virtue, and truth. 

257 When therefore the Lord 
saw their mind, and that they 
might adorn the truth ; he com- 
manded that they should continue 
good, and that their riches should 
be pared away: 

258 For he would not have 
them taken wholly away, to the 
end they might do some good 
with that which was left, and live 
unto God ; because they also are 
of a good kind. 

259 Therefore was there a little 
cut off from them, and so they 
were put into the building of 
this t( w?r. 

260 ",' As for the rest which 
continued still round, and were 



not found fit for the building 2 of 
this tower, because they have not 
yet received the seal ; they were 
carried back to their place, be- 
cause they were found very 
round. 

261 But this present world 
must be cut away from them, 
and the vanities of their riches ; 
and then they will be fit for the 
kingdom of God. For they 
must enter into the kingdom of 
God, because God has blessed 
this innocent kind. 

262 Of this kind therefore 
none shall fall away ; for though 
any of them being tempted by 
the devil should offend, he shall 
soon return to his Lord God. 

263 I the angel of repentance 
esteem you happy, whosoever are 
innocent as little children, be- 
cause your portion is good and 
honourable with the Lord. 

264 And I say unto all you 
who have received this seal ; 
keep simplicity, and remember 
not the offences which are com- 
mitted against you, nor con- 
tinue in malice, or in bitter- 
ness, through the memory of 
offences. 

265 3 But become one spirit, 
and provide remedies for these 
evil rents, and remove them from 
you ; that the lord of the sheep 
may rejoice 4 at it; 5 for he will 
rejoice, if he shall find all whole. 

266 But if any of these sheep 
shall be found scattered away, 
Wo shall be to the shepherds ; 
but and if the shepherds them- 
selves shall be scattered ; what 
will they answer to 6 the lord of 
the sheepfbld ? Will they say 
that they were troubled by the 



1 MS. Lamb. Tantum non necesse habuisset. 2 MS. Lamb. Structuram 
tnrris hujus. 3 MS. Lamb. Et unum quemque spiritum fieri : which appears 
from the Gr. of Antiochns to be the true reading, kcll yevecdai ev Trvevpa. 
* MS. Lamb. Gaudeat de his ; and Gr. Antioch x a PV £7r avru. 5 Vid. Anti- 
och. Horn, exxii. 6 Gr. Tcj dtarrunj rov -oiuviov. 

265 



Of the mysteries 



III. HERMAS. 



of the churcli. 



sheep ? But they shall not be 
believed. 

267 For it is an incredible 
thing that the shepherd should 
suffer by his flock ; and he shall ! 
be the more punished for his lie. i 

268 Now I am the shepherd ; | 
and especially must give an ac- I 
count of you. 

269 If Wherefore take care of 
yourselves whilst the tower is 
yet building. The Lord dwells ! 
in those that love peace ; for 
peace is beloved ; but he is far 
off from the contentious, and 
those who are * full of malice. 

270 Wherefore restore unto 
him the spirit entire, as ye re- 
ceived it. 2 For if thou shalt 
give unto a fuller a garment new 
and whole, thou wilt expect to 
receive it whole again ; if there- 
fore the fuller shall restore it 
unto thee torn, wouldest thou re- 
ceive it ? 

271 Wouldst thou not pre- 
sently be angry; and reproach 
him, saying ; I gave my garment 
to thee whole; why hast thou 
rent it, and made it useless to 
me ? Now it is of no use to me, 
by reason of the rent which thou 
hast made in it. Wouldst thou 
not say all this to a fuller, for 
the rent which he made in thy 
garment ? 

272 If therefore thou wouldst 
be concerned for thy garment, 
and complain that thou hadst 
not received it whole ; what 
thinkest thou that the Lord will 
do, who gave his Spirit to thee 
entire, and thou hast rendered 
him altogether unprofitable, so 
that he can be of no use unto his 
Lord ? For being corrupted by 
thee, he is no longer profitable 
to him. 

273 Will not therefore the 



Lord do the same concerning his 
Spirit, by reason of thy deed? 
Lndoubtedly, said I, he will do 
the same to all those whom he 
shall find to continue in the re- 
membrance of injuries. 

274 Tread not then under foot 
he said, his mercy ; but rather 
honour him, because he is so 
patient with respect to your of- 
fences, and not like one of you ; 
but repent, for that will be profit- 
able for you. 

275 Tf All these things which 
are above written, I the shep- 
herd, the angel of repentance, 
have shown and spoken to the 
servants of God. 

276 If therefore ye shall be- 
lieve and hearken to these words, 
and shall walk in them, and shall 
correct your way's, ye shall live. 
But if ye shall continue in 
malice, and in the remembrance 
of injuries, no such sinners shall 
live unto God. 

277 All these things which 
were to be spoken by me I have 
thus delivered unto you. Then 
the shepherd s'aid unto me, Hast 
thou asked all things of me? I 
answered, Sir, I have. 

278 Why, then, said he, hast 
thou not asked concerning the 
spaces of these stones that were 
put in the building, that I may 
explain that also unto thee? I 
answered, Sir, I forgot it. Hear, 
then, said he, concerning these 
also. 

279 They are those who have 
now heard these commands, and 
have repented with all their 
hearts ; 

280 And when the Lord saw 
that their repentance was good 
and pure, and that they could 
continue in it, he commanded 
their former sins to be blotted 



1 Perdites malitia. Lat. 

266 



2 Antioch. Hom. xciv. 



Of repentance 



SIMILITUDE X. 



and alms deeds. 



out. For these spaces were their 
sins, and they are therefore made 
even that they might not appear. 

SIMILITUDE X. 

Of Repentance and alms-deeds. 

AFTER that I had written 
this book, the angel which 
had delivered me to that shep- 
herd, came into the house where 
I was and sat upon the bed, and 
that shepherd stood at his right 
hand. 

2 Then he called me and said 
unto me ; I delivered thee and 
thy house to this shepherd, that 
thou mightest be protected by 
him. I said, Yes, Lord. 

3 If therefore, said he, thou 
wilt be protected from all vexa- 
tions and from all cruelty, and 
have success in every good word 
and w r ork ; and have all virtue 
and righteousness ; walk in those 
commands which he has given 
thee, and thou shalt have do- 
minion over all sin. 

4 For if thou keepest those 
commands, all the lust and plea- 
sure of this present world shall 
be subject to thee ; and success 
shall follow thee in every good 
undertaking. 

5 Take therefore his l gravity 
and modesty towards thee, and 
say unto all, that he is in great 
honour and renown with God, 
and is a 2 prince of great author- 
ity and powerful in his office. 

6 To him only is the power of 
repentance committed through- 
out the whole world. Does he 
not seem to thee to be of great 
authority ? 

7 But ye despise his goodness, 
and the modesty which he shews 
towards you. 

8 | I said unto him ; Sir, ask 



him since the time that he came 
into my house whether I have 
done any thing disorderly, or 
have offended him in any thing ? 

9 I know, said he, that thou 
hast done nothing disorderly, 
neither wilt thou hereafter do 
any such thing ; and therefore I 
speak these things with thee that 
thou mayest persevere ; for he 
has given me a good account 
concerning thee, 

10 But thou shalt speak these 
things to others, that they who 
either have repented, or shall 
repent, 3 may be like-minded 
with thee ; and he may give me 
as good an account of them also, 
and I may do the same unto the 
Lord. 

Ill answered ; Sir, I declare 
to all men the wonderful works 
of God ; and I hope that ail 
who love them and have before 
sinned, when they shall hear 
these things, will repent, and re- 
cover life. 

12 Continue therefore, said 
he, in this ministry, and fulfil it. 
And whosoever shall do accord- 
ing to the commands of this 
shepherd, he shall live ; and 
shall have great honour both 
here and with the Lord. 

13 But they that shall not 
keep his commands, flee from 
their life, and are adversaries to 
it. And they that follow not his 
commands, shall deliver them- 
selves unto death, and shall be 
every one guilty of his own 
blood. 

14 But I say unto thee, keep 
these commandments, and thou 
shalt find a cure for all thy sins. 

15 If Moreover, I have sent 
4 these virgins to dwell with thee ; 
for I have seen that they are 



1 Lat. Maturitatem. 2 President. 3 Eadera quse tu sentiant. 
4 What is meant by these virgins ? — See before, Simil. ix. v. 149 et seq. 

267 



Of repi ntance 



III. HERMAS. 



and alms a\ > ds. 



very kind to thee. Thou shall 
therefore have them for thy 
helpers, that thou mayest the 
better keep the commands which 

he hath given thee ; for these 
commands cannot be kept with- 
out the.se virgins. 

16 And ! I see how they are 
willing to be with thee ; and I 
will also command them that 
they shall not all depart from 
thy house. 

17 Only do thou purify thy 
house, for they will readily dwell 
in a clean house. For they are 
clean aud chaste, and indus- 
trious ; and all of them have 
grace with the Lord. 

18 If therefore, thou shalt 
have thy house pure, they will 
abide with thee. But if it shall 
be never so little polluted, they j 
will immediately depart from 
thy house : for these virgins can- 
not endure any manner of pollu- 
tion. 

19 I said unto him ; Sir, I 
hope that I shall so please them, 
that they shall always delight to 
dwell in my house. And as he 
to w T hom you have committed 
me, makes no complaint of me ; 
so neither shall they complain. 

20 Then he said to that shep- 
herd : I see that the servant of 
God will live and keep these 
commandments, and place these 
virgins in a pure habitation. 

21 When he had said this, he 
delivered me again to that shep- 
herd, and called the virgins, and 
said unto them ; forasmuch as I 
see that ye will readily dwell in 
this man's house, I commend 
him and his house to you, that 
ye may not at all depart from 
his house. And they willingly 
heard these words. 



22 If Then he said unto me, 
Go on manfully in thy ministry; 
declare to all men the great 
things of God, and thou shalt 
find grace in this ministry. 

23 And whosoever shall walk 
in these commands, shall live, 
and be happy in his life. But 
he that shall neglect them, shall 
not live, and shall be unhappy 
in his life. 

24 Say unto all that whosoever 
can do well, cease not to exer- 
cise themselves in good works, 
for it is profitable unto them. 
For 1 2 would that all men should 
be delivered from the inconveni- 
ences they lie under. 

25 For he that w r ants, and 
suffers inconveniences in his 
daily life, is in great torment 
and necessity. Whosoever there- 
fore delivers such a soul from 
necessity, gets great joy unto 
himself. 

26 For he that is grieved with 
such inconveniences is equally 
tormented, as if he were in chains. 
And many upon the account of 
such calamities, being not able 
to bear them, have chosen even 
to destroy themselves. 

27 He therefore that knows 
the calamity of such a man, and 
does not free him from it, com- 
mits a great sin, and is guilty of 
his blood. 

28 Wherefore exercise your- 
selves in good works, as many as 
have ' received ability from the 

i Lord ; lest whilst ye delay to do 
j them, the building of the tower 
' be finished ; because for your 
sakes the building is stopped. 

29 Except therefore ye shall 
make haste to do well, the tower 
shall be finished, and ye shall be 
shut out of it. 



1 MS. Lamb. Video 
true reading. 2 Say. 

268 



which appears from the close of this section to be the 



Of repentance 



SIMILITUDE X. 



and alms deeds 



30 And after he had thus 
spoken with me, he rose up from 
the bed and departed, taking the 
shepherd and virgins with him. 



31 Howbeit he said unto me 
that he would send back the 
shepherd and virgins unto my 
house. Amen. 



LETTERS OF HEROD AND PILATE. 

Connecting Roman History with the Death of Christ 
at Jerusalem. 

[These letters occur in a Syriac MS., of the sixth or seventh century, in the 
British Museum. Dr. Tischendorf states in his Apocalypses Apocrypha? 
(Prolegg. p. 56) that he lias a copy of the same in Greek from a Paris 
MS., of which he says " scriptura satis differt, non item argumentum." 
The letters are followed by a few extracts which seem to have been added 
by some copyist, although they are followed by the subscription to Pilate's 
letter. We suppose that by Jnstinus, we are to understand Justus of Tibe- 
rias of whom Josephus speaks as a historian of his time. We cannot ven- 
ture an opinion favorable to the genuineness of this extract, because Pho- 
tius says Justus did not mention Christ. By Theodorus, we understand the 
Emperor Tiberius. The question and answer agree in sense with what is 
read in the "Anaphora," or response of Pilate.] 



LETTER OF HEROD TO PILATE THE GOVERNOR. 

Herod to Pontius Pilate the Governor of Jerusalem: 
Peace. 



I AM in great anxiety. I 
write these things unto thee, 
that when thou hast heard 
them thou may est be grieved 
for me. For as my daughter 
Herodias, who is dear to me, 
was playing upon a pool of 
water which had ice upon it, it 
broke under her, and all her 
body went down, and her head 
was cut off and remained on 
the surface of the ice. And 
behold, her mother is holding 
her head upon her knees in 
her lap, and my whole house 
is in great sorrow. For I, 



when I heard of the man 
Jesus, wished to come to thee, 
that I might see him alone, 
and hear his word, whether it 
was like that of the sons of 
men. And it is certain that 
because of the many evil things 
which were done by me to 
John the Baptist, and because 
I mocked the Christ, behold 1 
receive the reward of right- 
eousness, 1 for I have shed much 
blood of others' children upon 
the earth. 2 Therefore the judg- 
ments of God are righteous; 
for every man receives accord- 



1 2 Peter ii. 13. 

2 Matt. ii. 16. It is scarcely necessary to say that it was not the Herod of 
the epistle who caused the massacre of the children at Bethlehem. 

269 



HEROD TO PILATE. 



ing to his thought. But since 
thou wast worthy to see that 
God-man, therefore it becometh 

you to pray tor me. 

My son Azhonius also is in 
the agony of the hour of 
death. 

And I too am in affliction 
and great trial, because I have 
the dropsy ; and am in great 
distress, because I persecuted 
the introducer of baptism by 
water, which was John. There- 
fore, my brother, the judg- 
ments of God are righteous. 

And my wife, again, through 
all her grief for her daughter, 
is become blind in her left eye, 
because we desired to blind 
the Eye of righteousness. 
There is no peace to the doers 
of evil, saith the Lord. 1 For 
already great affliction cometh 
upon the priests and upon the 
w T riters of the law ; because ' 
they delivered unto thee the 
Just One. For this is the con- 
summation of the world, that 
they consented that the Gen- 1 
tiles should become heirs. For j 
the children of light shall be j 
cast out, 2 for they have not ob- 1 
served the things which were 
preached concerning the Lord, 
and concerning his Son. There- 
fore gird up thy loins, 3 and re- 



ceive righteousness, thou with 
thy wife remembering Jo us 

night and day; and the king- 
dom shall belong to you (Jen- 
tiles, for we the (chosen i peo- 
ple have mocked the Right- 
eous One. 

Now if there is place for our 
request, Pilate, because we 
were at one time in power, 
bury my household carefully; 
for it is right that we should 
be buried by thee, rather than 
by the priests, whom, after a 
little time, as the Scriptures 
say, at the coming of Jesus 
Christ, vengeance shall over- 
take. 

Fare thee well, with Procla 
thy wife. 

I send thee the earrings of 
my daughter and my own 
ring, that they may be unto 
thee a memorial of my de- 
cease. For already do worms 
begin to issue from my body, 4 
and lo, I am receiving tempo- 
ral judgment, and I am afraid 
of the judgment to come. For 
in both we stand before the 
works of the living God ; but 
this judgment, which is tem- 
poral, is for a time, while that 
to come is judgment for ever. 

End of the Letter to Pilate 
the Governor. 



LETTER OF PILATE TO HEROD. 
Pilate to Herod the Tetrarch: Peace. 

KNOW and see, that in the | didst desire me to be associ- 
day when thou didst de-jated w r ith thee in his crucifix- 
liver Jesus unto me, I took ion. But I now learn from the 
pity on myself, and testified executioners and from the sol- 
by washing my hands (that I [ diers who watched his sepul- 
was innocent), concerning him ; chre that he rose from the dead. 
w r ho rose from the grave after And I have especially con- 
three days, and had performed firmed what was told me, that 
thy pleasure in him, for thou | he appeared bodily in Galilee, 

1 Is. xlviii. 22 ; lvii. 21. 2 Luke xvi. 8. 3 1 Peter i. 13. 

4 A palpable anachronism. Acts xii. 23. 

270 



PILATE TO HEROD. 



in the same form, and with the 
same voice, and with the same 
doctrine, and with the same 
disciples, not having changed 1 
in anything, but preaching 
with boldness his resurrection, 
and an everlasting kingdom. 

And behold, heaven and 
earth rejoice; and behold, 
Procla my wife is believing in 
the visions which appeared 
unto her, when thou sentest 
that I should deliver Jesus to 
the people of Israel, because of 
the ill-will they had. 

Now when Procla, my wife, 2 
heard that Jesus was risen, 
and had appeared in Galilee, 
she took with her Longinus 
the centurion and twelve sol- 
diers, the same that had 
watched at the sepulchre, and 
went to greet the face of 
Christ, as if to a great specta- 
cle, and saw him with his dis- 
ciples. 

Now while they were stand- 
ing, and wondering, and gaz- 
ing at him, he looked at 
them, and said to them, What 
is it? Do ye believe in me? 
Procla, know that in the cove- 
nant w T hich God gave to the 
fathers, it is said that every 
body which had perished 
should live by means of my 
death, which } T e have seen. 
And now, ye see that I live, 
whom ye crucified. And I 
suffered many things, till that 
I was laid in the sepulchre. 
But now, hear me, and believe 
in my Father — God who is in 
me. For I loosed the cords of 
death, and brake the gates of 
Sheol ; and my coming shall 
be hereafter. 

And when Procla my wife 
and the Romans heard these 



things, they came and told me, 
weeping ; for they aiso were 
against him, when they de- 
vised the evils which they had 
done unto him. So that, I 
also was on the couch of my 
bed in affliction, and put on a 
garment of mourning, and took 
unto me fifty Romans with my 
wife and went into Galilee. 

And when I was going in 
the way I testified these things ; 
that Herod did these things by 
me, that he took counsel with 
me, and constrained me to arm 
my hands against him, and to 
judge him that judgeth all, 
and to scourge the Just One, 
Lord of the just. And when 
we drew nigh to him, 
Herod, a great voice was heard 
from heaven, and dreadful 
thunder, and the earth trem- 
bled, and gave forth a sweet 
smell, like unto which was 
never perceived even in the 
temple of Jerusalem. Now 
while I stood in the way, our 
Lord saw me as he stood and 
talked with his disciples. But 
I prayed in my heart, for I 
knew that it was he whom ye 
delivered unto me, that he 
was Lord of created things and 
Creator of all. But we, when 
we saw him, all of us fell 
upon our faces before his feet. 
And I said with a loud voice, 
I have sinned, Lord, in that 
I sat and judged thee, who 
avenges t all in truth. And lo, 
I know that thou art God, the 
Son of God, and I beheld thy 
humanity and not thy divin- 
ity. But Herod, with the chil- 
dren of Israel, constrained me 
to do evil unto thee. Have 
pity, therefore, upon me, O 
God of Israel ! 



1 Literally "renewed anything." 

2 Literally "his wife," a manifest error. 



271 



PILATE TO TIBERIUS. 



And my wife, in great an- 
guish, said, God of heaven and 
of earth, ( rod of Israel, reward 
me not according to the deeds 
of Pontius Pilate, nor accord- 
ing to the will of the children 
of Israel, nor according to the 
thought of the sons of the 
priests; but remember my 
husband in thy glory ! 

Now our Lord drew near 
and raised up me and my wife, 
and the Romans; and I looked 
at him and saw there were on 
him the scars of his cross. 
And he said, That which all 
the righteous fathers hoped to 
receive, and saw not — in thy 
time the Lord of Time, the Son 
of Man, the Son of the Most 
High, who is for ever, arose 
from the dead, and is glorified 
on high by all that he created, 
and established for ever and 
ever. 

1. Justinus, one of the writ- 
ers that w 7 ere in the days of 
Augustus and Tiberius and 
Gaius, wrote in his third dis- 
course: Now Mary the Gali- 
lsean, who bare the Christ that 
was crucified in Jerusalem, 
had not been with a husband. 
And Joseph did not abandon 
her; but Joseph continued in 
sanctity without a wife, he and 
his five sons by a former wife ; 



and Mary continued without h 
husband. 

2. Theodorus wrote to Pilate 
the Governor: Who was the 
man, against whom there was 
a complaint before thee, that 
lie was crucified by the men 
of Palestine? If the many 
demanded this righteously, 
why didst thou not consent to 
their righteousness? And if 
they demanded this unright- 
eously, how didst thou trans- 
gress the law and command 
what was far from righteous- 
ness? 

Pilate sent to him : — Because 
he wrought signs I did not 
wish to crucify him : and since 
his accusers said, He calleth 
himself a king, I crucified him. 

3. Josephus saith : Agrippa, 
the king, was clothed in a robe 
woven with silver, and saw 
the spectacle in the theatre of 
Csesarea. When the people 
saw that his raiment flashed, 
the) 7 said to him, Llitherto we 
feared thee as a man : hence- 
forth thou art exalted above 
the nature of mortals. And he 
saw an angel standing over 
him, and he smote him as 
unto death. 1 

End of the Letter of Pilate 
to Herod. 



THE EPISTLE OF PONTIUS PILATE, 

Which he Wrote to the Roman Emperor Concerning our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

Pontius Pilate to Tiberius Caesar the Emperor — Greeting: 



UPON Jesus Christ, whom I 
fully made known to thee 
in my last, a bitter punish- 



ple, although I was unwilling 
and apprehensive. In good 
truth, no age ever had or w r ill 



ment hath at length been in- have a man so good and strict, 
flicted by the will of the peo- ' But the people made a won- 

1 This extract from Josephus (Ant. 19, 8) is abridged from the account of 
Eusebius (Hist. Eccles. 2, 10). The figures 1, 2, 3, indicate the extracts 
which have been appended to the epistle. 

272 



PILATE THE GOVERNOR. 



derful effort, and all their 
scribes, chiefs and elders 
agreed to crucify this ambas- 
sador of truth, their own proph- 
ets, like the Sibyls with us, 
advising the contrary; and 
when he was hanged super- 
natural signs appeared, and in 
the judgment of philosophers 
menaced the whole world with 
ruin. His disciples flourish, 
not belying their master by 
their behavior and continence 
of life; nay, in his name they 
are most beneficent. 1 Had I 
not feared a sedition might 
arise among the people, who 

THE REPORT OF PILATE THE GOVERNOR, 

Concerning our Lord Jesus Christ ; which was Sent to 
Augustus C^sar, in Rome. 



were almost furious, perhaps 
this man would have yet been 
living with us. Although, be- 
ing rather compelled by fidel- 
ity to thy dignity, than led by 
my own inclination, I did not 
strive with all my might to 
prevent the sale and suffering 
of righteous blood, guiltless of 
every accusation, unjustly, in- 
deed, through the malicious- 
ness of men, and yet, as the 
Scriptures interpret, to their 
own destruction. 

Farewell. The 5th of the 
Calends of April. 



IN those days, when our 
Lord Jesus Christ was cru- 
cified under Pontius Pilate, the 
governor of Palestine and 
Phoenicia, the things here re- 
corded came to pass in Jerusa- 
lem, and were clone by the 
Jews against the Lord. Pilate 
therefore sent the same to Cae- 
sar in Rome, along with his 
private report, writing thus: 
To the most potent, august, 
divine and awful Augustus 
Caesar, Pilate, the adminis- 
trator of the Eastern Prov- 
ince: 

I have received information, 
most excellent one, in conse- 
quence of which I am seized 
with fear and trembling. For 
in this province which I ad- 
minister, one of whose cities is 
called Jerusalem, the whole 
multitude of Jews delivered 
unto me a certain man called 
Jesus, and brought many ac- 
cusations against him, which 
they were unable to establish 



by consistent evidence. But 
they charged him with one 
heresy in particular, namely, 
That Jesus said the Sabbath 
was not a rest, nor to be ob- 
served by them. For he per- 
formed many cures on that 
day, and made the blind see, 
and the lame walk, raised the 
dead, cleansed lepers, healed 
the paralytic who were wholly 
unable to move their body or 
brace their nerves, but could 
only speak and discourse, and 
he gave them power to walk 
and run, removing their in- 
firmity by his word alone. 
There is another vary mighty 
deed which is strange to the 
gods we have : he raised up a 
man who had been four days 
dead, summoning him by his 
word alone, when the dead 
man had begun to decay, and 
his body was corrupted by the 
worms which had been bred, 
and had the stench of a dog ; 
but, seeing him lying in the 



1 Cf. Joseph. Ant. xviii. 3, 3. 



18 



273 



PILATE THE GOVERNOR. 



tomb he commanded him to 
run, nor did the dead man at 
all delay, but as a bridegroom 
out of his chamber, so did he 
go forth from his tomb, filled 
with abundant perfume. More- 
over, even such as were stran- 
gers, and clearly demoniacs, 
who had their dwelling in des- 
erts, and devoured their own 
flesh, and wandered about like 
cattle and creeping things, he 
turned into inhabiters of cities, 
and by a word rendered them 
rational, and prepared them to 
become wise and powerful, and 
illustrious, taking their food 
with all the enemies of the 
unclean spirits which were de- 
structive in them, and which 
he cast into the depth of the 
sea. 

And, again, there was an- 
other who had a withered 
hand, and not only the hand 
but rather the half of the body 
of the man was like a stone, 
and he had neither the shape 
of a man nor the symmetry of 
& body : even him He healed 
with a word and rendered 
whole. And a woman also, 
who had an issue of blood for 
a long time, and whose veins 
and arteries were exhausted, 
and who did not bear a human 
body, being like one dead, and 
daily speechless, so that all the 
physicians of the district were 
unable to cure her, for there 
remained unto her not a hope 
of life ; but as Jesus passed by 
she mysteriously received 
strength by his shadow falling 
on her, from behind she 
touched the hem of his gar- 
ment, and immediately, in . 
that very hour, strength filled 
her exhausted limbs, and as if 
she had never suffered any- 
thing, she began to run along 
274 



towards Capernaum, her own 
city, so that she reached it in 
a six days' journey. 

And I have made known 
these things which I have re- 
cently been informed of. and 
which Jesus did on the Sab- 
bath. And he did other mira- 
cles greater than these, so that 
I have observed greater works 
of wonder done by him than 
by the gods whom we worship. 

But Herod and Archelaus 
and Philip, Annas and Caia- 
phas, with all the people, de- 
livered him to me, making a 
great tumult against me in 
order that I might try him. 
Therefore, I commanded him 
to be crucified, when I had 
first scourged him, though I 
found no cause in him for evil 
accusations or dealings. 

Now when he was crucified, 
there was darkness over all the 
world, and the sun was ob- 
scured for half a day, and the 
stars appeared, but no lustre 
was seen in them ; and the 
moon lost its brightness, as 
though tinged with blood ; and 
the world of the departed was 
swallowed up ; so that the very 
sanctuar}' of the temple, as 
they call it, did not appear to 
the Jews themselves at their 
fall, but they perceived a 
chasm in the earth, and the 
rolling of successive thunders. 
And amid this terror the dead 
appeared rising again, as the 
Jews themselves bore witness, 
and said that it was Abraham, 
and Isaac, and Jacob, and the 
twelve patriarchs, and Moses, 
and Job, who had died before, 
as they say, some three thou- 
sand five hundred years. And 
there were very many whon 
myself saw appearing in 1 
body, and they made lamen 



THE REPORT OF PONTIUS PILATE. 



tion over the Jews, because of 
the transgression which was 
committed by them, and be- 
cause of the destruction of the 
Jews and of their law. 

And the terror of the earth- 
quake continued from the sixth 
hour of the preparation until 
the ninth hour; and when it 
was evening on the first day 
of the week, there came a 
sound from heaven, and the 
heaven became seven times 
more luminous than on all 
other days. And at the third 
hour of the night the sun ap- 
peared more luminous than it 
had ever shone, lighting up 
the whole hemisphere. And 
as lightning-flashes suddenly 
come forth in a storm, so there 
were seen men, lofty in sta- 
ture, and surpassing in glory, 
a countless host, crying out, 
and their voice was heard as 
that of exceedingly loud thun- 
der, Jesus that was crucified is 
risen again : come up from 
Hades ye that were enslaved 
in the subterraneous recesses 
of Hades. And the chasm in 
the earth was as if it had no 
bottom ; but it was so that the 
very foundations of the earth 



appeared, with those that 
shouted in heaven, and walked 
in the body among the dead 
that were raised. And He 
that raised up all the dead and 
bound Hades said, Say to my 
disciples, He goeth before you 
into Galilee, there shall ye see 
Him. 

And all that ni^ht the light 
ceased not shining. And many 
of the Jews died in the chasm 
of the earth, being swallowed 



up, 



so that on the morrow 



most of those who had been 
against Jesus were not to be 
found. Others saw the ap- 
parition of men rising again 
whom none of us had ever 
seen. One synagogue of the 
Jews was alone left in Jerusa- 
lem itself, for they all disap- 
peared in that ruin. 

Therefore being astounded 
by that terror, and being pos- 
sessed with the most dreadful 
trembling, I have written what 
I saw at that time and sent it 
to thine excellency; and I 
have inserted what was done 
against Jesus by the Jews, and 
sent it to thy divinity, my 
lord. 



THE REPORT OF PONTIUS PILATE, 

Governor of Judea; 

Which was sent to Tiberius Csesar in Rome. 



To the most potent, august, 
dreadful, and divine Augus- 
tus, Pontius Pilate, adminis- 
trator of the Eastern Prov- 
ince. 

I HAVE undertaken to com- 
municate to thy goodness 
by this my writing, though 
possessed with much fear and 
trembling, most excellent king, 
the present state of affairs, as 



the result hath shown. For as 
I administered this province, 
my lord, according to the com- 
mand of thy serenity, which is 
one of the eastern cities called 
Jerusalem, wherein the temple 
of the nation of the Jews is 
erected, all the multitude of 
the Jews, being assembled, de- 
livered up to me a certain man 
called Jesus, bringing many 
and endless .accusations against 
275 



THE REPORT OF PONTIUS PILATE. 



him; but they could not con- 
vict him in anything. But 

they had one heresy against 
him. that he said the sab- 
bath was not their proper 
rest. 

Now that man wrought many 
cures and good works: lie 
caused the blind to see, he 
cleansed lepers, he raised the 
dead, he healed paralytics, 
who could not move at all, 
but had only voice, and all 
their bones in their places; 
and he gave them strength to 
walk and run, enjoining it by 
his word alone. And he did 
another yet more mighty work, 
which had been strange even 
among our gods, he raised from 
the dead one Lazarus, who had 
been dead four days, command- 
ing by a word alone that the 
dead man should be raised, 
when his body was already cor- 
rupted by worms which bred 
in his wounds. And he com- 
manded the fetid body, which 
lay in the grave, to run, and as 
bridegroom from his cham- 
ber so he went forth from his 
grave, full of sweet perfume. 
And some that were grievously 
afflicted by demons, and had 
their dwellings in desert places, 
and devoured the flesh of their 
own limbs, and went up and 
down among creeping things 
and wild beasts, he caused to 
dwell in cities in their own 
houses, and by a w r ord made 
them reasonable, and caused to 
become wise and honorable 
those that were vexed by un- 
clean spirits, and the demons 
that were in them he sent out 
into a herd of swine into the 
sea and drowned them. Again, 
another who had a withered 
band, and lived in suffering, 
and had not even the half of 
276 



his body sound, he made whole 
by a word alone. And a woman 
who had an issue of blood for 
a long time, so that because of 
the discharge all the joints of 
her bones were seen and shone 
through like glass, for all the 
physicians had dismissed her 
without hope, and had not 
cleansed her, for there was in 
her no hope of health at all; 
but once, as Jesus was passing 
by she touched from behind 
the hem of his garments, and 
in that very hour the strength 
of her body was restored, and 
she w r as made whole, as if she 
had no affliction, and began to 
run fast towards her own city 
of Paneas. And these things 
happened thus: but the Jews 
reported that Jesus did these 
things on the sabbath. And I 
saw that greater marvels had 
been wrought by him than by 
the gods whom w r e worship. 
Him then Herod and Archelaus 
and Philip, and Annas and Ca- 
iaphas, with all the people, de- 
livered up to me, to put him on 
his trial. And because many 
raised a tumult against me, I 
commanded that he should be 
crucified. 

Now when he was crucified 
darkness came over all the 
world ; the sun was altogether 
hidden, and the sky appeared 
dark while it was yet day, so 
that the stars were seen, though 
still they had their lustre ob- 
scured, wmerefore, I suppose 
your excellency is not unaware 
j that in all the world they 
J lighted their lamps from the 
sixth hour until evening. And 
the moon, which was like 
blood, did not shine all night 
long, although it was at the 
full, and the stars and Orion 
made lamentation over the 



TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF PILATE. 



Jews, because of the trans- 
gression committed by them. 

And on the first day of the 
week, about the third hour of 
the night, the sun appeared as 
it never shone before, and the 
whole heaven became bright. 
And as lightnings come in a 
storm, so certain men of lofty 
stature, in beautiful array, and 
of indescribable glory, appeared 
in the air, and a countless host 
of angels, crying out and say- 
ing, Glory to God in the high- 
est, and on earth peace, good 
will among men: Come up 
from Hades, ye who are in 
bondage in the depths of 
Hades. And at their voice all 
the mountains and hills were 
moved, and the rocks were 
rent, and great chasms were 
made in the earth, so that the 
very places of the abyss were 
visible. 

And amid the terror dead 
men were seen rising again, so 
that the Jews who saw it said, 
We beheld Abraham and Isaac, 
and Jacob, and the twelve pa- 
triarchs, who died some two 



thousand five hundred years 
before, and we beheld Noah 
clearly in the body. And all 
the multitude walked about 
and sang hymns to God with 
a loud voice, saying, The Lord 
our God, who hath risen from 
the dead, hath made alive ail 
the dead, and Hades he hath 
spoiled and slain. 

Therefore, my lord king, all 
that night the light ceased not. 
But many of the Jews died, 
and were sunk and swallowed 
up in the chasms that night, 
so that not even their bodies 
were to be seen. Now I mean, 
that those of the Jews suffered 
who spake against Jesus. And 
but one synagogue remained 
in Jerusalem, for all the syna- 
gogues which had been against 
Jesus were overwhelmed. 

Through that terror, there- 
fore, being amazed and being 
seized with great trembling, in 
that very hour, I ordered what 
had been done by them all to 
be written, and I have sent it 
to thy mightiness. 



THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF PILATEJ 



NOW when the letters came 
to the cit} r of the Romans, 
and were read to Caesar with no 
few standing there, they were 
all terrified, because, through 
the transgression of Pilate, the 
darkness and the earthquake 
had happened to all the world. 
And Caesar, being filled with 
anger, sent soldiers and com- 
manded that Pilate should be 
brought as a prisoner. 

And when he was brought 
to the city of the Romans, and 



Caesar heard that he was come, 
he sat in the temple of the 
gods, above all the senate, and 
with all the army, and with all 
the multitude of his power, 
and commanded that Pilate 
should stand in the entrance. 
And Caesar said to him, Most 
impious one, when thou sawest 
so great signs done by that 
man, why didst thou dare to 
do thus? By daring to do an 
evil deed thou hast ruined all 
the world. 



1 Commonly called " the Paradosis of Pilate." It may be regarded as an 
historical continuation of the preceding, which it usually follows in the MSS. 
without any title. 

277 



TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF PILATE. 



And Pilate said, King and 
Autocrat, I am not guilty of 
these things, but it is the mul- 
titude of the Jews who are pre- 
cipitate and guilty. And Caesar 
said, And who are they? Pilate 
saith, Herod, Archelaus, Philip, 
Annas and Caiaphas, and all 
the multitude of the Jews. 
Caesar saith, For what cause 
didst thou execute their pur- 
pose ? And Pilate said, Their 
nation is seditious and insub- 
ordinate, and not submissive 
to thy power. And Caesar said, 
When they delivered him to 
thee thou oughtest to have 
made him secure and sent him 
to me, and not. consented to 
them to crucify such a man, 
who was just and wrought such 
great and good miracles, as 
thou saidst in thy report. 1 For 
by such miracles Jesus was 
manifested to be the Christ, 
the King of the Jews. 

And when Caesar said this 
and himself named the name 
of Christ, all the multitude of 
the gods fell down together, 
and became like dust where 
Caesar sat with the senate. And 
all the people that stood near 
Caesar were filled with trem- 
bling because of the utterance 
of the word and the fall of 
their gods, and being seized 
with fear they all went away, 
every man to his house, won- 
dering at what had happened. 
And Caesar commanded Pilate 
to be safely kept, that he might 
know the truth about Jesus. 

And on the morrow when 
Caesar sat in the capitol with 
all the senate, he undertook to 
question Pilate again. And 
Caesar said, Say the truth, most 



impious one, for through thy 
impious deed which thou didst 
commit against Jesus, even 
i here the doing of thy evil 
! works w r ere manifested, in that 
the gods were brought to ruin. 
! Say then, who is he that was 
| crucified, for his name hath 
destroyed all the gods ? Pilate 
said, And verily his records are 
true; for even I myself was 
convinced by his works that he 
was greater than all the gods 
whom we venerate. And Caesar 
said, For what cause then didst 
thou perpetrate against him 
such daring and doing, not be- 
ing ignorant of him, or assur- 
edly designing some mischief 
to my government? And Pi- 
late said, I did it because of 
the transgression and sedition 
of the lawless and ungodly 
Jews. 2 

And Caesar was filled with 
anger, and held a council with 
all his senate and officers, and 
ordered a decree to be written 
against the Jews thus: — 

To Licianus who holdeth 
the first place in the 
East Country. Greeting: 
I have been informed of the 
audacity perpetrated very re- 
I cently by the Jews inhabiting 
1 Jerusalem and the cities round 
about, and their lawless doing, 
how they compelled Pilate to 
' crucify a certain god called 
| Jesus, through which great 
' transgression of theirs the 
world was darkened and drawn 
into ruin. Determine there- 
fore, with a body of soldiers, to 
go to them there at once and 
proclaim their subjection to 
bondage by this decree. By 
obeying and proceeding against 



1 Gt. rfjq cfJQ avatyopag 
2 See Letter of Pilate to Herod, p. 270. 



278 



THE DEATH OF PILATE. 



them, and scattering them 
abroad in all nations, enslave 
them, and by driving their na- 
tion from all Judea as soon as 
possible show, wherever this 
hath not yet appeared, that 
they are full of evil. 

And when this decree came 
into the East Country, Licianus 
obeyed, through fear of the de- 
cree, and laid waste all the na- 
tion of the Jews, and caused 
those that were left in Judea 
to go into slavery with them 
that were scattered among the 
Gentiles, that it might be 
known by Csesar that these 
things had been done by Lici- 
anus against the Jews in the 
East Country, and to please 
him. 

And again Caesar resolved to 
have Pilate questioned, and 
commanded a captain, Albius 
by name, to cut off Pilate's 
head, saying, As he laid hands 
upon the just man, that is 
called Christ, he also shall fall 
in like manner, and find no 
deliverance. 

And when Pilate came to the 
place he prayed in silence, 
saying, Lord, destroy not me 
with the wicked Hebrews, for 
I should not have laid hands 
upon thee, but for the nation 
of lawless Jews, because they 



| provoked sedition against me: 
but thou knowest that I did it 
in ignorance. Destroy me not, 
therefore, for this my sin, nor 
be mindful of the evil that is 
in me, Lord, and in thy ser- 
I vant Procla who standeth with 
me in this the hour of my 
death, whom thou taughtest to 
j prophecy that thou must be 
! nailed to the cross. Do not 
| punish her too in my sin, but 
| forgive us, and number us in 
! the portion of thy just ones. 
! And behold, when Pilate had 
; finished his prayer, there came 
| a voice from heaven, saying, 
All generations and the fami- 
lies of the Gentiles shall call 
thee blessed, because under 
thee were fulfilled all these 
things that were spoken by the 
i prophets concerning me; and 
thou thyself must appear as 
my witness at my second com- 
ing, when I shall judge the 
twelve tribes of Israel, and 
them that have not confessed 
I my name. And the Prefect 
cut off the head of Pilate, and 
behold an angel of the Lord 
! received it. And when his 
wife Procla saw the angel com- 
j ing and receiving his head, she 
also, being filled with joy, forth- 
with gave up the ghost, and 
I was buried with her husband. 1 



N 



THE DEATH OF PILATE, 

WHO CONDEMNED JESUS. 

OW whereas Tiberius Caesar I there was at Jerusalem a cer- 
emperor of the Romans tain physician, Jesus by name, 



was suffering from a grievous 
sickness, and hearing that 



who healed all diseases by nis 
word alone; not knowing that 



1 The Synaxaria of the Greeks, under Oct. 28th, intimate the commemora- 
tion of Procla, the wife of Pilate. The ^thiopio calendar inserts 'Pilate 
and his wife Procla' under June 25th. The reason for putting these names 
among the saints is, that Pilate by washing his hands attested the innocence 
of Jesus, while Procla sought to dissuade her husband from complying with 
the Jews. The above story makes of Pilate almost a martyr; and Tertullian 
makes him almost a saint in Apol. c. Gentes, cap. 21. 

279 



THE DEATH OF PILATE. 



the Jews and Pilate had put 
him to death, he thus hade 
one of his attendants, Volusi- 
anus hy name, Baying, Go as 

quickly as thou canst across 
the sea, and tell Pilate, my 
servant and friend, to send me 
this physician to restore me to 
my original health. And Volu- 
sianus, having heard the order 
of the emperor, immediately 
departed, and came to Pilate, 
as it was commanded him. 
And he told the same Pilate 
what had heen committed to 
him by Tiberius Caesar, saying, 
Tiberius Caesar, emperor of the 
Romans, thy Lord, having 
heard that in this city there is 
a physician who healeth dis- 
eases by his word alone, ear- 
nestly entreateth thee to send 
him to him to heal his disease. 
And Pilate was greatly terrified 
on hearing this, knowing that 
through envy he had caused 
him to be slain. Pilate an- 
swered the messenger, saying 
thus, This man was a male- 
factor, and a man who drew 
after himself all the people; 
so, after counsel taken of the 
wise men of the city, I caused 
him to be crucified. And as 
the messenger returned to his 
lodgings he met a certain wo- 
man named Veronica, who had 
been acquainted with Jesus, 
and he said, O woman, there 
was a certain physician in this 
city, who healed the sick by 
his word alone, why have the 
Jews slain him? And she be- 
gan to weep, saying, Ah, me, 
my lord, it was my God and 
my Lord whom Pilate through 
envy delivered up, condemned, 
and commanded to be cruci- 
fied. Then he, grieving greatly, 
said, I am exceedingly sorry 
that I cannot fulfil that for 
280 



which my lord hath sent 
me. 

Veronica said to him, When 
my Lord went about preach- 
ing, and I was very unwill- 
ingly deprived of his presence, 
1 desired to have his picture 
painted for me, that while I 
was deprived of his presence, 
at least the figure of his like- 
ness might give me consola- 
tion. And when I was taking 
the canvas to the painter to be 
painted, my Lord met me and 
asked whither I was going. 
And when I had made known 
to him the cause of my journey, 
He asked me for the canvas, 
and gave it back to me printed 
with the likeness of his vener- 
able face. Therefore, if thy lord 
will devoutly look upon the 
sight of this, lie will straight- 
way enjoy the benefit of health. 

Is a likeness of this kind to 
be procured with gold or sil- 
ver? he asked. No, said she, 
but with a pious sentiment of 
devotion. Therefore, I will go 
with thee, and carry the like- 
ness to Caesar to look upon, and 
will return. 

So Volusianus came with 
Veronica to Rome, and said to 
Tiberius the emperor, Jesus, 
whom thou hast long desired, 
Pilate and the Jews have sur- 
rendered to an unjust death, 
and through envy fastened to 
the wood of the cross. There- 
fore, a certain matron hath 
come with me bringing the 
likeness of the same Jesus, and 
if thou wilt devoutly gaze upon 
it, thou wilt presently obtain 
the benefit of thy health. So 
Caesar caused the way to be 
spread with cloths of silk, and 
ordered the portrait to be pre- 
sented to him; and as soon 
as he had looked upon 



THE DEATH OF PILATE. 



it he regained his original 
health. 

Then Pontius Pilate was ap- 
prehended by command of 
Caesar and brought to Rome. 
Caesar, hearing that Pilate had 
come to Rome, was filled with 
exceeding wrath against him, 
and caused him to be brought 
to him. Now Pilate brought 
with him the seamless coat of 
Jesus, and wore it when before 
the emperor. As soon as the 
emperor saw him he laid aside 
all his wrath, and forthwith 
rose to him, and was unable to 
speak harshly to him in any- 
thing: and he who in his ab- 
sence seemed so terrible and 
fierce now in his presence is 
found comparatively gentle. 

And when he had dismissed 
him, he soon became terribly 
inflamed against him, declar- 
ing himself wretched, because 
he had not expressed to him 
the anger of his bosom. And 
immediately he had him re- 
called, swearing and protesting 
that he was a child of death, 
and unfitted to live upon earth. 
And when he saw him he in- 
stantly greeted him, and laid 
aside all the fury of his 
mind. 

All were astonished, and he 
was astonished himself, that he 
was so enraged against Pilate 
while absent, and could say 
nothing to him sharply while 
he was present. At length, by 
Divine suggestion, or perhaps 
by the persuasion of some 
Christian, he had him stripped 
of the coat, and soon resumed 
against him his original fury 
of mind. And when the em- 
peror was wondering very 
much about this, they told 
him it had been the coat of the 
Lord Jesus. Then the em- 



peror commanded him to be 
kept in prison till he should 
take counsel with the wise men 
what ought to be done with 
him. And after a few days 
sentence was given against Pi- 
late that he should be con- 
demned to the most ignomini- 
ous death. When Pilate heard 
this he slew himself with his 
own dagger, and by such a 
death put an end to his life. 

When Pilate's death was 
made known Caesar said, Truly 
he has died a most ignominious 
death, whose own hand has 
not spared him. He was there- 
fore fastened to a great block 
of stone and sunk in the river 
Tiber. But wicked and un- 
clean spirits, rejoicing in his 
wicked and unclean body, all 
moved about in the water, and 
caused in the air dreadful 
lightning and tempests, thun- 
der and hail, so that all were 
seized with horrible fear. On 
which account the Romans 
dragged him out of the river 
Tiber, bore him away in de- 
rision to Vienne, and sunk him 
in the river Rhone. For Vi- 
enne means, as it were, Way of 
Gehenna, because it was then 
a place of cursing. And evil 
spirits were there and did the 
same things. 

Those men, therefore, not 
enduring to be so harassed by 
demons, removed the vessel of 
cursing from them and sent it 
to be buried in the territory of 
Losania. But when they were 
troubled exceedingly by the 
aforesaid vexations, they put it 
away from them and sunk it in 
a certain pool surrounded by 
mountains, where even yet, ac- 
cording to the account of some, 
sundry diabolical contrivances 
are said to issue forth. 
281 



TABLE I. 



A LIST of all the Apocryphal Pieces not now extant, mentioned by 
Writers in the first four Centuries of Christ, with the several 
Works wherein they are cited or noticed. 



1. The Acts of Andrew. Eu*eb. Hist Eccl I. 3 c. 25. Philagtr. 

Hceres. 87. Epiphan. Hceres. 47 § 1. Hwres. 61 § /. et Hceres. 63. 
§ 2. Gelas. in Decret. apud. Conc'd. Sanct. torn. 4. p. 1260. 

2. Books under the name of Andrew. August, contr. Adversar. 
Leg. et Prophet. I. c. 20. et Innocent I. Epis. 3. ad Exuper. Tholos. 
Episc. § 7. 

3. The Gospel of Andrew. Gelas. in Decret. 

A Gospel under the name of Apelles. Hieron. Prafat. in 
Comment, in Matt. 

The Gospel according to the Twelve Apostles. Origen. Homil. 
in Luc. i. 1. Ambros. Comment, in Luc. i. 1. et Hieron. Prafat. in 
Comment, in Matt. 

B 

The Gospel of Barnabas. Gelas. in Decret. 

1. The Writings of Bartholomew the Apostle. Dionys. Areo- 
pagit, de Theol. Myst. c. 1. 

2. The Gospel of Bartholomew. Hieron. Catul. Script. Eccles. 
in Pantmi. et Prcefat.in Comm. in Matt. Gelas in Decret. 

The Gospel of Basilides. Orig. in Luc. i. 1. Ambros. in Luc. 
i. 1. Hieron. Prcefat. in Comm. in Matt. 

c 

1. The Gospel of Cerinthus. Epiphan. Hozres. 51. § 7. 

2. The Revelation of Cerinthus. Caias Presb. Rom. lib. Dis- 
put. apud. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 3. c. 28. 

1. An Epistle of Christ to Peter and Paul. August, de Con- 
sens. Evang. 1. 1. c. 9, 19. 

2. Some other Books under the name of Christ. Ibid. c. 3. 

2M 



The Lost Apocryphal Books. 

3. An Epistle of Christ, produced by the Manichees. August 
contr. Faust, 1. 28. c. 4 

4. A Hymn, which Christ taught his disciples. Epis. ad Ceret. 
Episc. 

E 

The Gospel according to the Egyptians. Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 
3. p. 452, 465. Origen. in Luc. il I. Hieron. Prozf. in Comm. in 
Matt. Epiphnn. Hozres. 62 § 2. 

The Acts of the Apostles, made use of by the Ebionites. 
Epiphan. Hozres. 30. § 16. 

The Gospel of the Ebionites. Epiphan. Hceres. 30. § 13. 

The Gospel of the Encratites. Epiphan. Hozres. 46. 1. 

The Gospel of Eve. Epiphan. Hceres. 26. § 2. 



The Gospel according to the Hebrews. Hegesipp. lib. Com- 
ment, apud Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. c. 22. Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 2. p. 
380. Origen. Tract, 8. in Matt. xix. 19. et 1. 2, Joan. p. 58. Euseb- 
Mist. Eccl. 1. 3. c. 25, 27, et 39. Jerome in many places, as above. 

The Book of the Helkesaites. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 6. c. 38. 

The false Gospels of Hesychius. Hieron. Prozfat in Evang. ad 
Damas. Gelas. in Decret. 

J 

The Book of James. Origen. Comm. in Matt. xiii. 55, 56. 

Books forged and published under the name of James. Epi- 
phan. Hozres. 30. § 23. Innocent I. Epist. 3. ad Exuper. Ttiolos. 
Episc. § 7. 

1. The Acts of John. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 3. c. 25. Athanas. 
in Synops. § 76. Philastr. Hozres. 87. Epiphan. Hozres. 47. § 1. Au- 
gust, contr. Advers. Leg. 1.1. c. 20. 

2. Books under the name of John. Epiphan. Hceres. 30. § 23. 
et Innocent I. ibid. 

A Gospel under the name of Jude. Epiphan. Hozres. 38. § 1. 

A Gospel under the name of Judas Iscariot. Iren. advers. 
Hozres. 1. 1. c. 35. 

The Acts of the Apostles by Leucius. August, lib. de Fide 
contr. Manich. c. 38. 

The Acts of the Apostles by Lentitus. August, de Act cum 
Fozlic. Manich, 1. 2. c. 6. 

The Books of Lentitius. Gelas. in Decret 

The Acts under the Apostles' name by Leontius. August de 
Fide, contr. Manich. c. 5. 

The Acts of the Apostles by Leuthon. Hieron. Epist. ad Chro- 
mat et Heliodor. 

The false Gospels, published by Lucianus. Hieron. Prozfat in 
Evang. ad Damas. 

M 

The Acts of the Apostles used by the Manichees. Augustlih. 
cont Adimant Manich. c. 17. 

283 



The Lost Apocryphal Booh. 

The Gospel ofMARCiOK. Terimll. adv. Mdrcwn, lib. 4 c. 2. et 
4. Epiphan, Hceres. 42. Prosm. 

Books under the name of Matthew. Epiphan. Hceres. 30. 
§ 23. 

1. The Gospel of Matthias. Orig. Comm. in Luc. i. 1. Euseb. 
Hist. Eccl. 1. 3. c. 25. Ambros. in Luc. i. 1. Hieron. ProeftH. in 
Comment in Matt. 

2. The Traditions of Matthias. Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 2. p. 
380. 1. 3. p. 436. et 1. 7. p. 748. 

3. A Book under the name of Matthias. Innocent I. ibid. 
The Gospel of Merinthus. Epiphan. Hoeres. 51. § 7. 

N 

The Gospel according to the Nazarenes. See above concern- 
ing the Gospel according to the Hebrews. 

p 

1 The Acts, of Paul and Thecla. Tertull. de Baptism, c. 17. 
Hieron. Catal. Scrijit. Eccl. in Luc. Gelas. in Decret. 

2. The Acts of Paul. Orig. de Princip. 1. I.e. 2. et]. 21. in 
Joan. torn. 2. p. 298. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 3. c. 3. et 25. Philastr. 
Hceres. 87. 

3. The Preaching of Paul (and Peter). Lactant de Ver. Sap. 
1. 4. c 21. Script, anonym, ad calcem Opp. Cypr., and, according 
to some, Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 6. p. 636. 

4. A Book under the name of Paul. Cyprian. Epist. 27. 

5. The Revelation of Paul. Epiphan. Hozres. 38. § 2. August. 
Tract. 98. in Joann. in fin. Gelas. in Decret. 

The Gospel of Perfection. Epiphan. Hozres. 26. § 2. 

1. The Acts of Peter. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 3. c. 3. Athanas. 
in Synops. S. Scriptur. § 75. Philastr Hoeres. 27. Hieron. catal. ScrijA. 
Eccl. in Petr. Epiphan. Hozres. 30. § 15. 

2. The Doctrine of Peter. Orig. Proem, in lib. de Princip. 

3. The Gospel of Peter. Scrip, lib. de Evang. Petri., apud. Eu- 
seb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 6. c. 13. Tertull. adv. Marc. 1. 4. c. 5. Orig. Com- 
ment, in Matt. xiii. 55, 56, torn. i. p. 223. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 3. 
c. 3. et 25. Hieron. Catal. Script. Eccles. in Petr. 

The Judgment of Peter. Puffin. Exposit. in Symbol. Apostol. 
§ 36. Hieron. Catal. Script. Eccles. in Petr. 

5. The Preaching of Peter. Heracl.apud. Orig. 1. 14. in Joan. 
Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 1. p. 357. 1. 2. p. 390. 1. 6. p. 635, 636, et 
678. Tfieodot. Byzant. in Excerpt, p. 899. ad cole. Opp. Clem. Alex. 
Jjactant. de Ver. Sap. 1. 4, c. 21. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. 1. 3. c. 3. et 
Hieron. Catal. Script. Eccl. in Petr. 

6. The Revelation of Peter. Clem. Alex. lib. Hypotypos. apud. 
Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 6. c. 14. Theodot. Byzant. in Excerpt, p. 806, 
807. ad. calc. Opp. Clem. Alex. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 3. c. 3. et 25. 
Hieron. Catal. Script. Eccl. in Petr. 

7. Books under the name of Peter. Innocent. I. Epist. 3. ad 
Exuper. Tholos. Epist. §. 7. 

1. The Acts of Philip. Gelas. in Decret. 

2. The Gospel of Philip. Epiphan. Hoeres. 26. § 13. 

284 






The Lost Apocryphal Books. 



The Gospel of Scythianus. Cyrill. Catech. VI. § 22. et Epi- 
phan. Hceres. 66. § 2. 

The Acts of the Apostles by Seleucus. Hieron. Epist. ad 
Chromat. et Heliodor. 

The Revelation of Stephen. Oelas. in Deeret. 



The Gospel of Titan. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 4. c. 29. 
The Gospel of Thadd^eus. Galas, in Deeret. 
The Catholic Epistle of Themison the MontaDist. Apollon. lib. 
cont. Cataphryg. apud. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 5. c. 18. 

1. The Acts of Thomas. Epiphan. Hceres. 47. § 1. et 61. § 1 
Athanas. in Synops. S. Script. §. 76. et Gelas. in Deeret. 

2. The Gospel of Thomas. Orig. in Luc. i. 1. Euseb. Hist. Eccl 
1. 3. c. 25. Cyrill. Catech. IV. § 36. et Catech. VI. § 31. Ambros. 
in Luc. i. 1. Athan.in Synops. S. Script. § 76. Hieron. Proef. in 
Comment, in Matth. Gelas. in Deeret. 

4. Books under the name of Thomas. Innocent I. Epist. 3. 
ad Exuper. Tholos. Episc. § 7. 

The Gospel of Truth made use of by the Valentinians. Iren. 
adv. Hceres. 1. 3. c. 11. 

v 

The Gospel of Valentinus. Tertull. de Prcescript. adv. Hoe- 
ret, c. 49. 



285 



TABLE II. 



A LIST of the Christian Authors of the first four Centuries, whose Writ- 
ings contain Catalogues of the Books of the New Testament. 

*** Those which also have Catalogues of the Books of the Old Testament 

are marked thus*. 



The Names of the 
Writers. 


The times in 
which they 
lived. 


The variation or Agreement 
of their Catalogues with 
ours now received. 


The Places of their 
Writing?, in which 
these Catalogues 
are. 


I. 


A.C. 






* Origen, a Pres- 


210. 


Omits the Epistles of 


Comment in Matt. 


byter of Alex- 




James and Jude, 


apud Euseb. 


andria, who em- 




though he owns them 


Hist Eccl. I 6 


ployed incredi- 




both in other parts of 


c 25. Exposit. 


ble pains in 


- 


his writings. 


in Joan. 1. 5, 


knowing the 






apud Euseb. 


Scriptures. 






ibid. 


II. 








Eusebius Pa m - 


315. 


His Catalogue is ex- 


Hist. Eccl. 1 3, c. 


philus, whose 




actly the same with 


55, confer ejus- 


writings evi- 




the modern one ; only 


dem lib. b. 3. 


dence his zeal 




he says, the Epistles 




about the sacred 




of James, Jude, the 




writings, and 




2nd of Peter, the 2nd 




his great care to 




and 3rd of John, 




be informed 




though they were 




which were gen- 




generally received, 




uine and which 




yet had been by some 




not. 




doubted of. As to the 
Revelation, though 
he says some rejected 
it, yet he says others 
received it ; and him- 
self places it among 
those which are to be 
received without dis- 
pute. 





286 



The Names of the 
Writers. 


i times in 
hich they 
ved. 


The variation or Agreement 
of their Catalogues with 
ours now received. 


The Places of their 
Writings, in which 
these Catalogues 




M *~ 




are. 




H 






III. 


a. a 






*Athanasius, 


315. 


The same perfectly with 


Fragment Epist. \ 


Bp. of Alex- 




ours now received. 


Festal, et in Sy- j 


andria. 






nops. Scriptur. ! 


[ 






Sacr. 


IV. 








* Cyril, Bp. of 


340. 


The same with ours, 


Catech. IV. § 36. 


Jerusalem. 




only the Revelation 
is omitted. 




V. 








* The Bishops as- 


364. 


The Revelation is omit- 


Canon. LX. 


sembled in the 


t 


ted. 




Council of Lao 






N.B.— The Canons 


dicea. 






of this Council 








were not long af- 
terwards received 
into the body of 
the Canons of the 
universal Church 


VI. 








Epiphanius, Bp. 


370. 


The same with ours now 


Hceres. 76, c. 5. 


of Salamis in 




received. 




Cyprus. 








VII. 








Gregory Nazi- 


375. 


Omits the Revelation. 


Carm. de veris et 


anzen, Bp. of 






genuin. Scriptur. 


Constantinople. 








VIII. 








Philastrius, Bp. 


380. 


The same with ours now 


Lib. de Hceres. 87. 


of Brixia in Ve- 




received ; except that 




nice. 




he mentions only thir- 
teen of St. Paul's 
Epistles ( omitting 
very probably the 
Epistle to the He- 
brews), and leaves out 
the Revelation. 








f The Papists generally place this Council before the Council of Nice. 

287 



The Names of the 

Writers. 



IX. 

* Jerome. 



X. 
*Rupfin, Pres- 
byter of Aquile- 
gium. 

XI. 

* Austin, Bp. of 

Hippo in Africa 

XII. 

* The forty-four 

Bps. assembled 
in the third 
Council of Car- 
thage. 

XIII. 

The anonymous 
author of the 
works under the 
name of Dion y- 
sius the Areo- 
pagite. 



--= — 

- •- z 
— .=. > 



a.c. 

3s2. 



390. 



394. 



St 

Austin 
was 
pres- 
ent 

at it. 

3*0. 



The v&liatioa or Agreement 
of their Catalogues with 

ours now received. 



The same with ours, 
except that he speaks 
dubiously of theEpist. 
to the Hebrews ; 
though in other parts 
of his writings he re- 
ceives it as Canonical, 
as hereafter will ap- 
pear. 

It perfectly agrees with 
ours. 



It perfectly agrees with 
ours. 



It perfectly agrees with 
ours. 



It seems perfectly to 
agree with ours ; for 
though he doth not, 
for good reasons, pro- 
duce the names of the 
books ; yet (as the 
learned Daille says, 
De Script, sitpposit. 
Doings. 1. 1. c- 16,) 
he so clearly describes 
them as that he has 
left out no divine 
book, may be easily 
perceived. 



The Places of their 
Writings, in which 

iliese Catalogues 
are. 



Ep. ad. Paul in. 
de Stud. Scrip. 
Also commonly 
prefixed to the 
Latin Vulgate. 



Expos, in Si/mb. 

Apostol. § 36. 

int. Op. Hieror. 

et inter Op. 

Oypr. 
De. Doct. Christ. 

I. 2, c. 8. 



Yid. Can on. 

XLVII. 

et cap. ult. 



Lib. de Hierarch. 
Eccl. c. 3. 



THE END. 



288 



oct -o m 



